Agave Apple Pie

I work with some really awesome people, and sharing baked goods is one way I get to not only let them test my recipes, but show some appreciation. One of my coworkers has diabetes, and has to pass on just about all the sweets I bring in. He had mentioned some time ago that he loves Apple Pie. I decided it was high time I make something he could have, and got to work on my first homemade Apple Pie.

After some research on sugar substitutes, I hadn't really found anything that seemed much better for a diabetic diet.  Of course, I am very careful with what I serve to friends and coworkers, so I discussed the situation with him before baking.  He suggested agave nectar, and since I hadn't yet worked with it, I decided that would be a great addition to the recipe.

My version was inspired by a recipe in a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook my cooking buddy gave me a few months back.  I used the agave nectar in place of sugar, added some maple syrup for another but if sweetness, and used some ginger in the filling.

To make the filling, I mixed the agave nectar, maple syrup, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger together in a small bowl and stirred it with a fork.  

I set the bottom layer in the pie dish, pressing it gently into the bottom, then cut the edges off and used a fork to press a design into the sides.  I also poked a few holes in the bottom to prevent an air bubble from forming underneath it.

Next, took the top layer and sliced it into pieces 1 inch thick.

I then took some Gala apples and peeled and sliced them, then tossed them in a bit of lemon juice so they wouldn't brown.  I added half the apples to the pie crust.

Then, I poured half of the agave mixture over the apples.

I followed that up with the remaining apples and poured the rest of the agave mixture over them.

Finally, I laid the pie crust strips over the top, layering them in an alternating pattern.

After trimming the edges of the crust, I brushed a bit of milk to help it bake to that beautiful golden brown color.

And then it was oven time.  I baked the pie for 45 minutes until it was golden brown.

Ok so first off, I always see the pie crust protectors at the store, and I'm finally starting to get why they would be so useful.  The top crust turned out perfectly browned but the edges got too crispy.  Next time, I'll put a piece of foil over the edges to keep them from burning.  The good news is that the pie was still perfectly delicious!  The filling was quite sweet with the agave nectar; I wouldn't have guessed this lacked traditional granulated sugar.  My friend loved it, and though he shared a bit with some other coworkers he took most of it home.  I ended up making a second pie for my family, as I had some extra apples left over even after filling the first pie.  I used regular sugar in the second pie, and I have to say the taste was really comparable.  There was a bit more fluid in the filling but the flavor was excellent in both.  I used less agave then I would have sugar, so it worked out really well and is definitely something I will work with again!

Agave Apple Pie Recipe

Ingredients:

1/3 cup agave nectar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons lemon juice
6 cups apples (2 pounds)
1 tablespoon butter
2 pie crusts (9 inch)
2 tablespoons milk

Instructions:

In a small bowl, mix agave nectar, maple syrup, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger and use a fork to mix thoroughly.  Peel apples and slice thin, then toss in lemon juice.  Spread the pie crust in a dish, pressing into the pie mold.  Spread half of sliced apples in the dish.  Top with half of the agave mixture then top with remaining apple.  Pour the rest of the agave mixture over the apples then top with top crust, laying a rolled out crust per the top and cutting vents to release steam or laying pie crust strips over the top.  Brush with a small amount of milk.  Bake for 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees F, until crust is golden brown.