Why It Works
- Holding the pie dough chilly helps the butter keep agency, leading to flaky layers because the crust bakes.
- Baking the pie on a baking stone ensures the underside is evenly heated and prevents a soggy backside.
Invite me to a potluck, and 9 instances out of 10, I’ll present up with a dessert. In the summertime, when it’s scorching and ripe berries and stone fruit are plentiful, that dessert is often a no-bake affair like Eton mess or trifle. However come wintertime, when it’s chilly sufficient to activate the oven, I begin churning out cozy, warming desserts like pies, galettes, and crisps. And after I know there are going to be loads of individuals to feed, I attain for my belief baking sheet to make an apple slab pie, a big format dessert that by no means fails to please everybody in attendance.
The slab pie recipe beneath comes from our Birmingham, Alabama-based check kitchen colleague Nicole Hopper, who baked trays and trays of apple pie to nail down the easiest model. The pie has a frivolously sweetened and subtly spiced filling of tender apples that maintain their form, supported by a crisp, flaky crust. Don’t be stunned should you discover everybody on the social gathering flocking to your nook of the buffet desk, as a result of this pie is bound to be the star of the present.
Critical Eats / Fred Hardy
5 Key Strategies for Making an Glorious Apple Slab Pie
- Preserve the dough chilly. For the flakiest crust, we advocate conserving the dough chilly at each single step, which helps the butter keep agency. Begin with chilly substances, chill the dough till agency, and pop it again within the fridge any time you’re not actively working with it. Because the crust bakes, the butter melts, creating little pockets of steam within the dough that set into crispy, flaky layers.
- Use the proper apples. Although some varieties of apple could also be scrumptious eaten uncooked, they could be too mealy, moist, or candy when cooked, making them an unsuitable selection for pie. The ideal apple for pie is one which’s simply candy and tart sufficient, and softens however nonetheless holds its form when cooked. We advocate utilizing Braeburn and Golden Scrumptious apples, which have a balanced taste and maintain their form nicely when cooked, although you may as well use Granny Smith apples for a filling that’s barely extra tart.
- A lattice is good however not needed. Assembling a lattice makes for a formidable presentation, however should you’re quick on time or just desire a totally lined pie, simply roll the dough out to an 18- by 12-inch rectangle about 1/8-inch thick, then place it over the filling. Trim the overhang, crimp as desired, and use a pointy paring knife to chop a number of slits into the highest of the dough to permit steam to flee—and that’s all there may be to it!
- Bake the pie on a baking or pizza stone. The key to not having a soggy backside? Preheating the oven with a baking stone set on the oven rack, then baking the pie on prime of the heated stone. Most baking stones are made with ceramic or cordierite, which is superb at retaining warmth and ensures that the underside cooks evenly. (Should you don’t personal a baking stone, you’ll be able to merely bake pie on the bottom rack in your oven as an alternative—the crust may be barely much less crispy, however it’s going to nonetheless be scrumptious.)
- Verify for colour to know when the pie is prepared. Some apple pie recipes could instruct you to make use of an instant-read thermometer to make sure that the filling hits 195ºF (90.5ºC). Not like an apple pie baked in a pie dish, nevertheless, a slab pie is rather more shallow, and the filling will attain 195ºF earlier than the crust is absolutely baked. One of the simplest ways to test for doneness right here is to take a look at the colour of the crust: If it’s good and golden brown, you’re good to go.
Critical Eats / Fred Hardy
Editor’s Observe
The recipe was developed by Nicole Hopper; the headnote was written by Genevieve Yam.
The Straightforward Massive-Format Apple Pie I Make Each Vacation Season (No Soggy Bottoms!)
Cook dinner Mode
(Preserve display awake)
For the Dough:
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957g all-purpose flour (33 3/4 ounces; 7 1/2 cups), plus extra for dusting
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680g chilly unsalted butter (24 ounces; 6 sticks), cubed
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50g granulated sugar (1 3/4 ounces; 1/4 cup)
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9g (1 tablespoon) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for desk salt, use half as a lot by quantity or similar weight
For the Filling:
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12 giant tart baking apples (6 kilos; 2.7kg), reminiscent of Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and chopped into 1/2-inch items (about 14 cups chopped), see notes
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160g gentle brown sugar (about 5 3/4 ounces; 3/4 cup)
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1 1/2 teaspoons floor cinnamon
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3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for desk salt, use half as a lot by quantity
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1/2 teaspoon cardamom
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1/2 teaspoon floor ginger
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1/4 teaspoon floor nutmeg
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32g cornstarch (about 1 ounce; 4 tablespoons)
To End
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1 giant egg
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1 teaspoon water
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34g turbinado sugar (about 1 1/4 ounces; 3 tablespoons)
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For the Dough: Within the bowl of a meals processor, mix about half of the flour and half of the butter. Pulse till butter items are barely bigger than pea-sized, about 8 pulses. Switch combination to a big bowl. Repeat with remaining flour and butter, then add to bowl. Sprinkle sugar and salt over prime and, utilizing your fingers, toss combination, pinching and flattening any bigger items of butter you encounter. Add ice water and, utilizing your fingers or a versatile spatula, stir to kind a shaggy dough. (The dough ought to nonetheless look a bit dry and crumbly, however maintain collectively when squeezed. If needed, add as much as 1/4 cup extra water, 1 tablespoon at a time, till dough comes collectively.) Divide combination in half (about 36 ounces or 1020g every). Portion every half of dough right into a 1-inch thick rectangle and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Utilizing a rolling pin, press and roll to press dough into all corners of the plastic wrap. Chill till agency, at the least 2 hours or as much as 2 days. (Observe: Should you don’t have a meals processor, you may make the crust by hand by reducing the butter into flour.)
Critical Eats / Fred Hardy
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For the Filling: In a big bowl, toss chopped apples with sugar, cinnamon, salt, cardamom, ginger, and nutmeg, tossing with fingers to evenly coat. Macerate at room temperature till apples have barely softened, about 2 hours, stirring sometimes. Sprinkle cornstarch on macerated apple combination, and toss to mix. Regulate oven rack to center place; set a baking stone on rack. Preheat oven to 375°F (190ºC) for at the least half-hour.
Critical Eats / Fred Hardy
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On a frivolously floured work floor, roll one half of dough right into a 18- by 23-inch rectangle, about 1/8-inch thick. Decide up dough by rigorously and loosely rolling dough round rolling pin and switch to a 13- by 18-inch rimmed baking sheet. Unroll dough evenly over pan. Gently raise and press dough into corners. Utilizing scissors or kitchen shears, trim edge in order that it overhangs by 1-inch. Refrigerate, uncovered, till prepared to make use of.
Critical Eats / Fred Hardy
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Frivolously flour work floor and roll second half of dough out right into a 18- by 23-inch rectangle, about 1/8-inch thick. Utilizing a pointy knife or pastry wheel, reduce dough into 10 strips, every about 1 1/2 inches extensive.
Critical Eats / Fred Hardy
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Take away ready pie shell from fridge and pour filling over chilled dough. Prepare into a good layer, drizzling any remaining juices over prime. High filling with ready dough strips and organize strips in a diagonal lattice sample, trimming and discarding any extra. Fold overhang inwards over itself, and crimp edges decoratively, as desired. If dough feels warmed and is now not agency, switch pie to fridge or freezer; chill till agency, about quarter-hour.
Critical Eats / Fred Hardy
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To End: In a small bowl, beat egg and water to mix. Utilizing a pastry brush, brush egg wash evenly over lattice and crimped edges. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over lattice.
Critical Eats / Fred Hardy
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Place baking sheet straight on preheated baking stone in preheated oven. Bake till filling is effervescent and dough is deep golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. Switch to a wire rack to chill, about 2 hours. Serve heat or at room temperature.
Critical Eats / Fred Hardy
Particular Gear
Meals processor, two giant bowl, baking stone, rolling pin, 13- by 18-inch rimmed baking sheet, scissors or kitchen shears, sharp knife or pastry wheel, pastry brush
Notes
If utilizing an apple selection on the sweeter facet, reminiscent of Pink Scrumptious, it’s possible you’ll need to cut back sugar to 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces; 100g).
Baking stones might be bought on-line and at cookware shops. Should you don’t personal a baking stone, bake pie on the bottom rack in your oven as an alternative: Regulate oven rack to lowest place earlier than preheating oven.
Make-Forward and Storage
Dough might be made and refrigerated, wrapped tightly in plastic, as much as 2 days upfront.
Dough might be tightly wrapped in plastic and frozen as much as 3 months upfront. Thaw in a single day in fridge earlier than utilizing.
The completed pie might be saved, loosely lined with plastic wrap, at room temperature for as much as 2 days or refrigerated in an hermetic container for as much as 4 days. Sliced pie might be wrapped tightly in plastic and frozen for as much as 3 months. Thaw in a single day in fridge and reheat as wanted.
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