Apple Crunch Pie With Cinnamon Ice Cream

Two recipes in one, and both are simpler than they sound. The apple pie itself is crustless: six juicy, sour apples sliced directly into a pie plate, topped with a crumble of flour, brown sugar, and margarine, and baked until the apples soften and the crumble goes golden.

The cinnamon ice cream is the part worth knowing. Vanilla ice cream gets softened, then folded together with whipped heavy cream sweetened with sugar and a heaping teaspoon of cinnamon. It’s a no-churn technique: no ice cream maker, no tempering eggs, just two components combined and either served immediately or refrozen until firm. Red cinnamon candies can go in for a speckled pink-swirled version.

Serve the warm apple crunch in bowls with a scoop of that cinnamon ice cream melting over the top. The contrast between the warm, sweet-tart fruit and the cold, spiced cream is the entire point of this dessert.

Chef Tips

• Use genuinely sour, juicy apples, like Granny Smith or Cortland. They hold up to baking and their acidity balances the sweet crumble.
• The crumble should look sandy and crumbly before it goes over the apples. If it clumps, the crunch won’t develop properly.
• Soften the ice cream until it’s just pliable, not melted. Melted ice cream makes a soupy result when refrozen.
• For the best texture, fold the whipped cream and cinnamon mixture gently into the ice cream to keep the cream airy.

Variations

• Spiced crumble: Add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to the crumble topping for extra warmth.
• Pear version: Substitute juicy ripe pears for a softer, more floral filling that pairs beautifully with the cinnamon ice cream.