Apple Pie Bake-Off: Chef Ali vs. Chef Rachel

Now that you know the chefs, it's time to get in the kitchen and start baking! The first round of the competition pit two bakers head-to-head against each other to see who can make the best apple pie. First up is Chef Rachel Baas and Ali Nash.

Watering at the sight of those apple pies? Make them yourself with these recipes.

Rachel's Apple Pie

Pie Filling

• 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
• 6 cups of Northern Spy apples
• 3/4 tsp Cinnamon
• Clear Jel Thickener

Pie Crust

• ¾ cup of flour
• ¼ cup of white sugar
• 1 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Peel and slice 6 cups of apples into a large bowl. Add sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Mix well and place in prepared pie crust.
3. Use the extra pie crust and cut into slices. Spread on top of apples, slightly pat to hold in place.
4. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes. Add pie crust shield and bake 20-25 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack.

Ali's Fall in a Ball Apple Cream Cheese Crumble Pie

Cookie Crust and Top Crumble:

• 2 sticks of unsalted butter
• 3 cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 5 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
• 2 TBS cinnamon
• 1/4 cup apple butter
• Sprinkle Topping
• 2 TBS sugar
• ½ TBS cinnamon

Cream Cheese Layer

• 1 eight ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 TBS flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg

Apple Pie Filling

• 6 cups thinly sliced, peeled apples (combo of Gala and Granny Smith preferred) (6 medium)
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 TBS all-purpose flour
• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 TBS lemon juice
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9.5 inch glass pie plate.
• Make Cookie Crust:
  
  • Add butter and brown sugar to mixer. Mix on medium speed until well combined.
  • Add eggs, vanilla and apple butter. Mix until just combined on low speed. Scrape down sides of bowl with spatula.
  • Add baking powder, salt, bread flour and cinnamon. Mix until smooth on low speed.
  • Press 2 cups cookie crust into bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Sprinkle 1/2 of the Sprinkle Topping on top of the crust. Shake the plate to spread it.
  • Bake for 10 minutes and set aside.
• Make Cream Cheese Layer:
  
  • Mix cream cheese in a mixer until smooth.
  • Add sugar and flour and mix until combined.
  • Add vanilla and egg and mix until smooth and velvety.
  • Spread the mixer evenly on top of baked cookie crust.
• Make Apple Pie Filling:
  
  • Combine sugar, cinnamon, flour, salt, nutmeg and lemon juice until incorporated.
  • Add apple slices and mix well.
  • Spread apple pie filling evenly over cream cheese layer.
• Crumble Topping:
  
  • Take remaining cookie crust and mixture and add 1/4 cup of flour until crumbly.
  • Sprinkle crumble over prepared pie.
  • Add Sprinkle Topping to taste.
• Bake!
  
  • Bake approximately 35-40 minutes or until top is golden brown.
  • Let cool, refrigerate, top with fresh whipped cream if desired, and ENJOY!
• You will likely have leftover Cookie Crumble/Top Crumble. Form into cookie balls, sprinkle with Sprinkle Topping, and bake for 12 minutes for delicious fall cookies!

Next, Chef Gaby will take on Chef Amanda Barnett in the Cheesecake Challenge. Then on Friday the winners will go head-to-head for the baking crown, plus money for their charities courtesy of Family Fare's Our Family Brand.

The Fox 17 Morning Mix Bake-Off is sponsored by Family Fare.