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Apple Pear Gruyere Pie

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This Apple Pear Gruyere Pie is full of sweet, salty & slightly savory flavors that team up in a leaf-laden, show-stopping pie. Sweet pear & crisp apple filling gets sugared, spiced & tossed with vanilla browned butter. It bakes under a layer of flaky, all butter pie dough mixed with salty & nutty Gruyere cheese that bubbles up as it bakes.

Apple Pear Gruyere Pie by Baking The Goods
Apple Pear Gruyere Pie by Baking The Goods

This morning I walked the dog and stopped in my tracks to admire the fallen leaves in the park. After 6 years in California, I'd nearly forgotten what a beautiful show the PNW puts on this time of year. The sun was low. The rays seemed to backlight the fallen leaves with a warm glow that can only happen here. This Apple Pear Gruyere Pie features a big ol' messy pile of crusty dough leaves inspired by the PNW late fall leaf magic.

Life has been bananas lately. I realize I say that a lot, but the past few months have been downright bonkers. I barely remember anything since August. We moved back to Portland in October. With moving, unpacking, and trying to get caught up on work during my busiest season, I am nearly catatonic.

And while I have zero time for it, I just had to get this recipe for my Apple Pear Gruyere Pie out to the world before Thanksgiving! I've been rolling it around in my head for a while now. Yesterday the apples & pears at my local grocery store looked so pristine, I decided to make it happen! So without further ado, here is my Apple Pear Gruyere Pie in all its leaf-laden glory.

Apple Pear Gruyere Pie ingredients
While the weather might be dark and dreary in the fall, the vibrant beauty of the apples and pears this time of year overshadows any dark feelings. This Apple Pear Gruyere Pie features both Pink Lady Apples and Bartlett Pears. The crust gets a hefty sprinkle of Gruyere cheese which pairs perfectly with the fruit filling.
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If you've been following me for a while, you know that my all-time favorite recipe is my Apple Cheddar Pie. I've been baking it for at least 15 years now. Maybe 20. Let's go with 15 so I don't feel quite as old as I am. I've decided to explore a bit with that tried & true recipe and create this Apple Pear Gruyere Pie.

Start with all butter pie dough

It starts with the same All Butter Vodka Pie Dough recipe that I use in all of my pies. And like my Apple Cheddar pie, it has cheese baked right into the crust! This time, I wanted to get a little more sophisticated with the flavors. I added some silky pears to the filling and Gruyere cheese to the crust.

How to balance sweet and savory

This Apple Pear Gruyere Pie teeters on that magic spot between sweet and savory. The nutty, saltiness from the gruyere is amped up when it bakes into the buttery, flaky crust. The filling is a simple mix of sliced and chopped apples & pears. I personally like pears but I don't love pears. So the blend of crisp Pink Lady Apples & Bartlett Pears strikes the right balance in flavor and texture for me. You could go all pear or all apple if you prefer just one. The fruit gets are all dolled up with sugars & spices. I've also browned some butter and infused it with a vanilla bean to give the filling a deeper, more intense flavor. The browned butter is perfect against the sweet and spiced fruit filling underneath. The simultaneously salty and sweet, tender crust is enough to skip the whole Thanksgiving to-do and head straight for dessert!

Tip: make the pie dough ahead of time and freeze it

I don't know how I did it, but I am so glad I got this Apple Pear Gruyere Pie up on the blog for you before the holidays hit. I suggest prepping and assembling the pie few days ahead. Keep it safe in the freezer and bake it up the night before. This will make your life tremendously easier.

Just know that once this Apple Pear Gruyere Pie is baking, it's hard to resist. It fills the whole house with the bubbly scent of melting gruyere, wintery spice and buttery goodness. So be ready, it goes quickly. Promise me you will save yourself a slice of this Apple Pear Gruyere Pie to quietly savor for breakfast the day after Thanksgiving. There is no better indulgence than pie for breakfast.

flower and butter in a mixing bowl, ready to become pie dough
It is imperative that you use cold butter in your pie dough, this is what gives it all of that flaky, tender texture. I love the creamy, full flavor of Kerrygold Butter in my pie dough. I find I get the best texture when I use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the pie dough.
adding Gruyere cheese to pie dough
Adding Gruyere cheese to the All Butter Vodka Pie Dough gives it a deeper, fuller, nutty and semi-savory flavor. It is pure magic.

The pie dough squeeze test

pie dough in hand for the squeeze moisture test
You will know your pie dough is sufficiently hydrated and ready when you squeeze a handful and it just holds together.
Apple Pear Gruyere Pie dough
Chilling your pie dough for at least 1-2 hours before rolling it out helps the glutens relax and makes it easier to roll out. You want to lightly flour a smooth surface the Gruyere pie dough and the rolling pin before rolling it out.

Leaf crust

Apple Pear Gruyere Pie dough leaf stamps
I love using these cute little leaf pie stamps for my top pie crusts. Honestly, I think it is way easier to layer on a big pile of leaves than try and weave crust strips together. It adds a big impact with easy effort.
Pie dough leaves for Apple Pear Gruyere Pie
I brush each pie dough leaf with a bit of egg wash and then sprinkle them with sparkling sugar for sheen and shimmer.
Apple Pear Gruyere Pie transferring pie dough
Once you've rolled out your pie dough, you can carefully transfer it into a pie pan by rolling around the rolling pin and then unrolling it directly into the pie pan. Easy peasy.
browned butter vanilla filling
To up the flavor ante in the Apple Pear Gruyere Pie filling, I browned some butter and infused it with a whole, split vanilla bean. This adds richness and body to the filling that stands up nicely to the nutty, slightly savory Gruyere pie crust.
Shaping pie shell for Apple Pear Gruyere Pie
For this Apple Pear Gruyere Pie, I kept the edges simple with a finger-pinched edge. Classic.
Topping the pie with a leaf-shaped crust
To top the Apple Pear Gruyere Pie, just layer on those chilled pie dough leaves. Throw 'em on like a pile of leaves or be meticulous with your layered shingles. Whatever you like! Just be sure that you leave small vents for the steam to escape while the pie bakes.

Vents for steam

pre-baked pie with leaf-shaped crust makes vents for the steam to escape
See all of those vents? The fruit builds up steam while it bakes and these little vents allow it to escape as the Apple Pear Gruyere Pie bakes, preventing a soggy pie!
Apple Pear Gruyere Pie with leafy crust baked and cooling on a hot plate
Just over here waiting for this Apple Pear Gruyere Pie to cool so I can slice into this beauty and eat it all!
A close up shot of the pie, leaf-crust browned and sugared
Look at all of that leafy, buttery, gruyere-y flaky goodness happening on the top of this Apple Pear Gruyere Pie.
Apple Pear Gruyere Pie sliced on plates
Who wants a slice of this Apple Pear Gruyere Pie?!
a close up of a slice of Apple Pear Gruyere Pie with whipped cream
Here you go, do you want your Apple Pear Gruyere Pie with or without whipped cream? Look at all of those spicy, sweet layers under that Gruyere pie crust.
an overhead shot of a single slice of Apple Gruyere Pie with leaf-shaped crust
I saved you the last slice of Apple Pear Gruyere Pie. You're welcome, friend.
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Apple Pear Gruyere Pie by Baking The Goods

Apple Pear Gruyere Pie

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Description

Sweet pear & crisp apple filling gets sugared, spiced & tossed with vanilla browned butter. It bakes under a layer of flaky, all butter pie dough mixed with salty & nutty Gruyere cheese that bubbles up as it bakes. This Apple Pear Gruyere Pie is full of sweet, salty & slightly savory flavors that team up in a leaf-laden, show-stopping pie.

Ingredients

Units

GRUYERE PIE DOUGH

  • 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (- cold & cut into ¼" cubes)
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3-4 tablespoons ice cold vodka
  • 2-3 tablespoons ice water
  • 1 cup Gruyere cheese (- finely grated)

APPLE PEAR FILLING

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 whole vanilla bean - split & scraped (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
  • 4 Pink Lady Apples (or similar) (- peeled & sliced into ¼" thick slices)
  • 4 Bartlett Pears (or similar) (- peeled & sliced into ¼" thick slices)
  • ½ 1 whole lemon (- juiced)
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ - 2 tablespoons tapioca flour (or cornstarch or all purpose flour)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 whole egg
  • 2 tablespoons Sparkling or Demerara sugar (- optional)

Instructions

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.

Notes

  • Pie dough can be frozen once it's been shaped into the dough disks. Wrap it up tightly in plastic wrap or a freezer baggie and store in the freezer up to 3 months.
  • To defrost frozen dough disks, allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight and rest on the counter at room temperature for about 20 minutes before rolling. Or go directly from the freezer to the counter and allow to thaw at room temp for 90-120 minutes.
  • This pie can be prepped & assembled ahead of time and frozen for up to 3 months. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil. To bake a whole frozen pie, go straight from freezer to oven, do not defrost. It may take up to an additional 15-30 minutes to bake a frozen pie.
  • If freezing your pie, I recommend using a metal pie pan as opposed to a ceramic or glass pie pan. The dramatic change in temperature poses a risk of cracking.
  • If you don't like mixing pears and apples, feel free to use just one or the other. Same goes for the spices, use whatever spices you like in the filling.
  • If you don't want to use vodka, you can replace it with either apple cider vinegar or ice cold water.
  • Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: pie

Keywords: Apple Cheese Pie, Apple Pear Gruyere Pie, Apple Pie, Pear Cheese Pie, Pear Pie, Pie, Pie with cheese crust, Thanksgiving Pie

Apple Pear Gruyere Pie by Baking The Goods
Apple Pear Gruyere Pie by Baking The Goods.

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