Apple & Apricot Pie with Cream Cheese Double Crust

Finally made first pie of 2012! I tried totally new dough and filling recipes from my new cookbook - only 299 more recipes to go.

I went for a cream cheese dough with an apple and apricot filling. 

I made the dough a couple days ago and froze it, working up my nerve to actually roll it out. When preparing the dough, I followed the recipe exactly and it just seemed like a weird consistency, like waaaay to flour-y. I was just about to throw it away when Joel reminded me it was okay to take liberties with recipes so at his suggestion we added some cold water until I was able to form 2 discs. However, by that point I'd lost confidence that it would be successful so decided to hold off on actually executing and tucked it away for a few days (good in freezer for up to 30 days). I also purchased store bought crusts just to have on hand as a back up. Well, you know how when you bring your umbrella with you it doesn't rain but when you forget it, it does ---- apparently it's the same with dough. When I went to roll it out last night it was PERFECT! It was my best roll out ever. I guess the cream cheese has something to do with that (or I'm just awesome) but it rolled out so nicely and evenly with ease and fluidity (is that even a word?!)

So on to the filling...I went with Granny Smith apples and dried apricots which I poached in apple juice. Poaching was a new technique to me so it was fun to try that out. The tartness of the Granny Smiths and the apricots combined together really made for a nice, super tart pie which went well with the crust since it was more "doughy" than "flaky" than the crisco-based crusts have been providing. Overall, a nice combo and fun to try out a new technique!

What the what am I going to do with this whole pie - please come over for a slice if you're in the area!

It's very hard to make a perfect circle with the limited counter space.

Let the poaching begin - apricots, apple juice & lemon slices.

Ingredients to add to the apple & apricot mixture: walnuts, sugar, flour, fresh lemon juice and cinnamon.

Filling all mixed up in the bottom of the pie (looks goo-ey)!

Top layer, successfully on.

Voila! (Next time I'll trim the edges, but I wanted to see what would happen if I didn't and what happened was a whole-lotta crust!)