INGREDIENTS for FILLING:
3 large (about 1 1/2 lbs.) apples (I used Pink Ladies) cored, halved and cut into 1/8"-
thick slices
1/4 c. packed light brown sugar
3/4 tsp.cinnamon
1/4 tsp. clove
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 tsp. salt
INGREDIENTS for BASE UNDER APPLES
4-oz. soft cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tbsp. confectioners' sugar
You may need to up cream cheese if making a full pie
INGREDIENTS for CRUST
1 1/4 cups finely ground gingersnap cookie crumbs (about 25 cookies ground in processor)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon minced crystallized ginger (I didn't have crystallized ginger so just used
1/2 tsp ground ginger)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
PREPARATION FOR CRUST
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Mix gingersnap cookie crumbs, sugar, and ginger in medium bowl. Add melted butter and stir until mixture is evenly moistened. Transfer crumb mixture to two 6" pie plates (or 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish); press crumbs firmly and evenly onto bottom and up sides to top of dish. Bake until crust is firm and slightly darker in color, about 8-10 minutes. Cool crust completely.
PREPARATION FOR CREAM CHEESE BASE
Stir together cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in a bowl until smooth.
PREPARATION FOR THE APPLES
Toss together brown sugar, spices, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Gently stir in the apple slices. Cover with plastic wrap. Let stand 45 minutes, gently tossing every 15 minutes, until apple slices are soft and pliable.
TO PUT THE PIE TOGETHER
Once the crumbs are pressed into the pie plate, spread cream cheese mix over the bottom.
Drain apples of any accumulated juices. Arrange apples in an overlapping circular pattern, starting on the outside edge and continuing in a snug spiral shape until you reach the center. (I cooked up the left over apples separate for a breakfast treat)
Dot the pie with cut up bits of cold butter.
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake until apples are just tender, about 45 minutes.
Cool on wire rack for at least an hour.
Note of interest:
I prefer to make small pies. First we don't need to be eating a big pie; a small one satisfies our need for a sweet. Secondly, I have a pie to freeze or to give away.