As American as apple pie
We’ve all heard the saying — Apple pe is a classic American dessert, and it is one of my absolute favorites. I am kind of a purist when it comes to apple pie and apple crisp. I just want to taste lots of sweet and tangy apples with a hint of cinnamon. As much as I love nutmeg, lemon and other spices, I personally think they take away from the apples, so you won’t find them in my recipe. The one thing I do that’s different is using brown sugar instead of granulated sugar. I love the caramel notes that the brown sugar adds to the pie without taking away from the classic flavor.
What kind of apples are best for apple pie?
The best apples for pie are apples that are sweet, tart and hold up well without turning into mush. My favorite apples for pie and crisp are Empire, Cortland and Granny Smith. My least favorite apples are Macintosh, which are best suited to making applesauce and apple butter, because they breakdown quickly and turn into mush. I also don’t recommend red or golden delicious; the flavor is mild and will get lost with the brown sugar and cinnamon.
Pre-cooked apple pie filling
I like to precook my filling for apple pie, because it helps to prevent a soggy bottom crust and an overdone top crust. On the other hand, when making apple crisp, I like to start with my filling raw.
Pie crust
You can use any crust you like or even a bottom crust with a crumb topping. My favorite crust for this pie is my fool proof pie crust or if you are vegan my ultimate vegan pie crust.
American Brown Sugar Apple Pie
This classic American pie recipe is easy and comes together quickly, especially if you already have pie crust on hand.
Ingredients
- 1 double-crust pie dough
- 42 grams cornstarch (1½ ounces)
- 70 grams cold water (2½ ounces)
- 3 pounds apples, peeled and sliced
- 224 grams light brown sugar (8 ounces)
- 2½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 28 grams unsalted butter (1 ounce or 2 tablespoons)
Instructions
Filling
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In a small bowl, make a slurry with the cornstarch and water, and mix until there are no lumps.
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In a separate bowl, toss together the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.
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In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the apples, and sauté until the apples are just starting to get tender and the sugar is all dissolved.
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Add the slurry to the apples, and let simmer until the liquid is thick and clear, approximately 2-3 minutes.
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Pour the filling onto a sheet pan to cool.
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While the filling is cooling, roll out your crust.
Crust
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
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Roll out your bottom crust, and put it in your pie plate, leaving about a half-inch overhang all the way round. Place in the refrigerator until needed.
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Roll out your top crust to approx a 12-inch circle, place on a parchment-lined sheet tray and refrigerate until needed.
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Once the filling is cooled to room temperature, fill your bottom crust and cover with your pre-rolled top. Crimp and flute the edges, and cut some steam vents in the top.
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Brush the top of your pie lightly with heavy cream or spritz with a little water, and sprinkle with granulated sugar or cinnamon sugar.
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Bake approximately 40-45 minutes, until the top is golden and the filling is set.