Opal Apple Pie ~ Sugar free!

Egads. I've had this recipe waiting to be posted for MONTHS! I know it's spring and apple pies are really the best in the fall… when the air is crisp and the apples are crisper! But what the heck? Who doesn't love apple pie, any time of year, right? It's the true American dessert…  heartwarming, homey and satisfying.

Have you ever heard of or tasted Opal apples? Mmmm…. they're sweet and tart and wonderfully crisp. Another really interesting thing about the Opal apple is that it doesn't oxidize and discolor when peeled like other apples do. At least not as much. That makes it the perfect apple for a pretty pie!

This recipe is a snap to make. Other than peeling and coring the apples of course! Most apple pie recipes call for Granny Smith apples. I don't know why that is. But using a sweeter apple, like this one, means you don't need to add any sugar! You can, if you prefer a sweeter pie but I used something else… lucuma powder. It's naturally sweet and a great alternative to sugar. Lucuma powder is made from a subtropical superfruit and boasts many health benefits.

I got brave and actually made a top crust from my 2-Ingredient Pie Crust recipe. It was a tad hard to work with as the dough is pretty fragile before it's cooked. But with just a little finagling it turned out great! Hey, it's a rustic pie, right? :)

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 7-8 sweet apples (such as opal, red delicious, gala, etc.)
• 1/4 cup lucuma powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 TBS tapioca starch
• double recipe of 2-Ingredient Pie Crust

Directions:

1. Prepare the crust per the instructions in the crust recipe. Divide in half and line the bottom of a pie plate with one half.
2. Preheat oven to 375° F.
3. Peel and core the apples and slice thinly.
4. Toss the apples with the lucuma, cinnamon and tapioca starch.
5. Transfer the apples into the bottom crust and arrange, pressing down so that they are evenly distributed.
6. Roll out the remaining dough between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or wax paper, Shape into a circle. Peel off the top layer of plastic or wax paper and, using the bottom piece as leverage, gently turn it over and place it on top of the apples. If a couple of pieces break off, just patch them back on. The dough is very forgiving that way!
7. Use a fork to crimp the top and bottom crusts together. 
8. Make a couple of slices on top of the pie with a sharp knife to let air escape.
9. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Use an aluminum foil "tent" half way through (or when the top of the pie has turned golden brown) to prevent the top crust from getting too well done.

Enjoy!

Healthy trails,