1-Start by preheating your oven to 375°F (190°C). Then, prepare the apples by washing, peeling, and slicing them evenly this helps them cook just right. In the actual recipe, you’ll process the pie crust first, so let’s incorporate that detail.

2-Next, mix the sliced apples with granulated sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. For the crust, combine ¾ cups flour, sugar, and salt, then add cold butter and shortening to form clumps before adding the rest of the flour. Sprinkle in chilled vodka and water to bring the dough together, roll it out, and chill it for at least 2 hours.

3-After chilling, blind bake the crust at 350°F (175°C) for 40 minutes with foil and sugar as weights. Once done, increase the oven to 425°F (220°C). For the filling, cook the apples in butter until tender, drain them, and thicken the juices with heavy cream. Pour this over the apples in the crust and top with the streusel.

4-Bake the assembled pie at 425°F (220°C) for 10-20 minutes until the topping is golden. Let it cool for at least 2 hours. This method, including pre-cooking the apples, prevents a runny filling and ensures a flaky crust.