Description
Discover the ultimate Dutch Apple Pie recipe that will satisfy your sweet cravings. Learn how to create a delicious dessert that will impress your friends and family.
Ingredients
- 1 homemade single pie crust (1 sheet of pie dough)
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest (1 ml)
- juice from half a lemon, 2 tablespoons, no more (30 ml)
- 5 pounds apples, 5 pounds before peeling and coring (2.27 kg)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed (100 g)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (40 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (3 g)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon (3 g)
- 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg (1.5 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom, optional (3 g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 ml)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (180 g)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (65 g)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed (150 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, use a little less if using table salt (3 g)
- 3/4 cup butter, melted (170 g)
Instructions
- Select your apples. You’ll need 5 pounds, roughly equating to 11 large ones. A blend of different varieties like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and Golden Delicious can enhance the taste.
- Begin the filling by grating lemon zest with a microplane into a 12-inch skillet, without turning on the heat yet.
- Squeeze the juice from half a lemon into the skillet, ensuring not to exceed 2 tablespoons, as it’s meant to enhance the apple’s flavor and prevent browning, not dominate it.
- Peel the apples using a potato or apple peeler, then slice them into 1/8 inch pieces. Peel and slice each apple one at a time to prevent browning, adding them to the lemon juice in the pan as you go. Stir occasionally to coat with lemon juice.
- Once all apples are prepared and in the pan, place it over medium heat.
- Introduce brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom (if using) to the apples, stirring gently to avoid breaking them.
- Once everything is well-mixed, with no dry spots of flour or cinnamon, cover the pan with a lid. Set a timer for 20 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes while cooking until the apples are tender but maintain their shape. Adjust cooking time based on your preference for apple texture. Add water sparingly if apples start to stick.
- Remove from heat and mix in vanilla extract.
- Move the apple filling to a pan with edges, ensuring it’s spread to the edges. Cool in the fridge or freezer; the freezer takes about 30 minutes. Alternatively, let it cool in the pan over a few hours.
- Roll out the pie dough and place it in a 9-inch pie dish, folding the edges under and crimping them. See pie crust recipe for photos and details.
- Chill the pie crust in the fridge or freezer for 30 minutes to ensure flakiness.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F with a baking sheet or pizza stone placed on the center rack, allowing it to preheat for 20-30 minutes.
- To make the crumble topping, mix flour, white sugar, brown sugar, and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, melt butter, then combine with the dry ingredients, forming a wet, sandy mixture. Chill until needed.
- Once the filling is cold and the crust is mostly frozen, remove them from the freezer. Transfer the chilled filling into the pie shell, scraping in every bit of the gooey goodness.
- Break the crumble into bite-sized pieces and sprinkle over the apples, using enough to cover them. Return any leftover crumble to the fridge.
- Place the prepared pie on the preheated baking sheet in the oven for 15 minutes at 425°F, checking for light browning on the crust edges.
- Create a foil shield by folding a square of foil, cutting out the center so it fits over the crust edges but leaves the center uncovered.
- After 15 minutes at 425°F, lower the temperature to 350°F. Keep the pie in the oven and continue baking for 10 more minutes.
- Remove the pie briefly, scatter the remaining chilled crumble over the top, and place the foil shield over the crust edges. Return to the oven.
- Ensure the oven is at 350°F and bake for another 25-35 minutes, totaling 55-65 minutes in the oven. If needed, remove the foil shield to brown the crust and crumble further, baking an additional 5-10 minutes.
- Allow the pie to cool on a wire rack for about 4 hours to ensure the juices set and the crumble remains crisp.
- Once fully cooled, slice and serve. Pairing with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce is recommended for an indulgent treat.
- Store the pie, covered, on the counter for up to 2 days. Then, move it to the fridge for longer storage.
- Refer to notes for detailed freezing instructions!
Notes
- Use a mix of apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and Golden Delicious for a more complex flavor in the filling.
- Slice the apples thinly and evenly to ensure even cooking and a nice texture in the pie.
- Chill the pie crust and filling before assembling for a flaky crust and to prevent the crumble from melting too quickly.
