Apple Pear Gruyere Pie

GRUYERE PIE DOUGH

1. Mix the flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl with high sides.
2. Cut the cold butter cubes into the dry ingredients using a food processor, pastry blender or the butter knife method. Stop mixing when the texture of the flour changes from silky to mealy and has pea sized granules. Don’t worry if a few larger chunks of butter remain.
3. Using a food processor, drizzle the vodka in while gently pulsing, a little bit at a time. Or if using a pastry blender or fork to blend in, add about 1 tablespoon at a time, blending as you go. Check the hydration of the dough between each addition of vodka or water by gathering a small fistful; if it holds together, it’s ready. If the dough is still too dry, slowly add the ice cold water; 1 tablespoon at a time, testing the dough by pinching it occasionally. 

   Be careful to add only as much hydration as it takes for the dough to just hold together. The exact amount of moisture can vary depending upon the moisture content of the flour, the quality of the butter, and the weather. When it has the proper amount of water, the dough will come together without much effort or deliberate packing. If you need to add more water, make sure the ingredients are still cold.

4. Add the finely grated Gruyere and use pastry blender or fork to roughly blend in the cheese until just incorporated. Form the dough into two disks and wrap them in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1-2 hours before rolling and forming. Or store in the freezer, tightly wrapped, up to 3 months.

ROLL THE DOUGH

1. Remove the dough disks from refrigerator. They may need to sit at room temperature for 20-ish minutes to soften up a bit. If frozen, allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for 90-120 minutes. 
2. Whisk an egg together for the egg wash.
3. Roll the first dough disk into a round shape ¼" - ⅛" thick. Use a cookie stamp or cookie cutter to cut out the leaf shapes, transfer them to a baking sheet and place in the freezer.
4. Using a pastry brush, gently brush each leaf with egg wash. Then sprinkle lightly with sparkling sugar. Place the baking sheet with dough leaves in the freezer or refrigerator to chill.
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the second disk onto into a 12" round about ¼" - ⅛" thick.
6. Gently transfer the dough disk into a 9" pan, leaving a 1-2" overhang all the way around. Tuck the edge underneath itself to form a ring around the edge of the pie plate and use a your fingers or a fork to create a crimped design around the edge.  Gently brush the crimped edges with the egg wash. Place in the freezer or refrigerator while you prep the filling.

APPLE PEAR FILLING

1. Split and scrape a whole vanilla bean.Add the butter to a small saucepan warming over medium - medium high heat.
   Slowly whisk or swirl the butter until it begins to turn a warm chestnut color and tiny brown flecks start to form on the bottom of the pan. This is a delicate process, so stay vigilant. You want the butter browned but not burnt. Just before it's ready the butter will start to foam up.

   Cut the heat and add the scraped vanilla beans and bean pod. Stir together and set aside to cool.

2. Combine the thinly sliced apples and pears in a large mixing bowl. I also like the roughly chop a handful of the apple and pear slices to help fill in the gaps between the slices for a fuller filling. Toss with juice of ½ a lemon.
3. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Toss to combine and coat. Then add the vanilla browned butter & gently stir. Set aside and allow to sit for 15 minutes for the juices to release from the fruit.
4. Add the tapioca flour and toss to combine.
5. Transfer the fruit filling into the bottom shell, forming a mound that is taller in the center of the pie.
6. Top with the frozen dough leaves in desired pattern. I just randomly layered them on like a big ol' pile of leaves but you can be more organized with it, if you want. Just be sure to layer the leaves so that natural vents are formed for the steam and heat to release while baking.
7. I prefer to freeze my pies before baking so they will hold their shape better as they bake. Stick the whole pie in the freezer to firm up for at least an hour before baking. You can also wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil and keep it frozen solid for up to 3 months. 
8. If baking immediately, preheat oven to 400° F and bake for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350°F and bake for another 45-55 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Bake until the filling is bubbly and the crust turns a deep golden color, you may need to cover the edges and or/tent the pie to keep from over-browning.If baking a frozen pie, go directly from freezer to oven without thawing. preheat oven to 400° F and bake for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350° F and bake for another 55-75 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The frozen pie may take 10-25 minutes more to bake than an unfrozen pie. Bake until the filling is bubbly and the crust turns a deep golden color you may need to move to the lower rack and cover the edges and or/tent the pie to keep from over-browning, if that bothers you. I personally love a deep crust. 
9. Allow to cool on a rack for at least 1 (probably 2) hour(s) before cutting, I know it's hard. In the meantime, if you had leftover crust leaves, bake them at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. They will hold you over until the pie has cooled.