Even though relatively simple, it may take you a while to nail your best apple pie recipe. After all, this is a treat that everybody loves and it’s a staple for many occasions throughout the year. Fortunately, the following tips and instructions are bound to help you master the art of apple pie making; completely without precooking the apples or the sauce. Let’s dive straight into it, shall we?
Best Apples for Pie
In order to recreate this amazing apple pie recipe, you’ll need around 4 pounds of apples, which amounts to about 11 cups of sliced apples. Now, our best tip to make your apple pie taste truly amazing is to choose a couple of different varieties of apples. The following list contains some of our absolute favorites:
- Granny Smith; the go-to apple variety when it comes to baking. They don’t lose their structure in the oven and are crisp and tart.
- Honeycrisp; nicely firm and crisp after the baking process.
- Jonagold; they maintain their structure in the oven yet have a sweeter tart.
- Braeburn; these apples are sweet and crisp.
- Golden Delicious; another versatile apple that’s sweet. It will become softer in the oven but it’s great for the pie.
- Pink Lady; this apple provides the ideal balance of tart and sweet.
- Jazz; this apple is crisp yet sweet.
- Mutsu; similar to Golden Delicious in terms of looks and size, these big apples still hold up pretty well in the oven and have a notable honey flavor.
How Long to Bake the Pie?
In general, a standard 9-inch apple pie should be baked for about 75 minutes in the oven at 400 degrees F. It might seem like this process takes too long; however, 75 minutes of the baking time at a single temperature allows the pie to bake perfectly evenly. Most importantly, it allows the apple filling and sauce to thicken nicely, which will rid you of the runny filling issue completely.
How to Tell When the Pie Is Done?
There are three main methods that can allow you to tell when your apple pie is done and ready to get out of the oven:
- Visual method; once you can spot the bubbles of the apple juices through the pie’s crust, your pie is done.
- The internal temperature; in case you want to use an internal thermometer, your pie is done once the middle of the pie reaches 195 degrees F.
- The apple texture; you can pierce the pie with a toothpick – if the apples feel too crunchy still, the pie needs more time.
Additional Apple Pie Baking Tips
To perfect your skills when it comes to baking the most delicious apple pie, keep in mind the following tips:
- When it comes to your apple pie crust, make sure to always stick with a recipe you know works the best for you.
- Before anything else, you should prepare your apple pie filling and leave it at room temperature for about an hour. Once the apples release their natural juice, you can proceed to mix them with the starch you’re using.
- The longer baking for about 75 minutes at 400 degrees F will allow the pie to bake evenly but remember to turn it a couple of times to achieve consistent browning.
- In case you notice that the top of your pie is browning too quickly, make a simple foil dome and place it over the pie until it’s done.
- Once your apple pie is done baking, make sure to wait a bit for it to cool down to approximately room temperature before you cut into it. This will allow the juices to thicken more and minimize runny filling and spilling.
How to Make an Apple Pie?
In order to make a standard 9-inch apple pie, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- 4 oz of apples (usually about 7-8 apples)
- Half a cup of brown sugar
- Half a cup of granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp of sea salt (fine)
- 1 tsp of cinnamon (ground)
- ¼ tsp of ginger (ground)
- ¼ tsp of cardamom (ground)
- ¼ tsp of allspice (ground)
- ¼ tsp of grated nutmeg
- 2 tbsp of cornstarch (or 4 tbsp of tapioca starch)
- 1 tbsp of butter
- 1 egg
Start by Making the Filling
Peel your apples and then cut them in half. Remove their cores and then proceed to slice your apples so that you get about quarter-inch slices. Once done, arrange your apple slices in a large bowl. Cover your apple slices with spices, sugars, and salt, and then leave them to sit at room temperature for about an hour.
Get Your Pie Crust Ready
Take half of your pie dough and place it on a straight surface that you previously poured some flour on. Roll the dough from the center outwards until it’s about 1.5 to 2 inches larger than the surface of your dish.
As you place this dough in the dish, make sure not to overstretch it too much. Then proceed to cut the hanging dough to about ¾ of an inch to the dish’s edge. Place it in the fridge.
Take the second half of your pie dough and roll it to a similar size as the previous one. Place it on a large baking sheet with parchment and also put it in the fridge.
Prep Your Oven
Make sure that your oven rack is positioned towards the center and heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Make Your Pie Baking-Ready
Take your apple bowl and mix the apples with the starch you’re using. Then take your dish with a bottom crust out of the fridge and remove the bottom crust maintaining its shape from the dish. Start arranging your apple slices inside, filling the crust to the brim equally.
Once you’re done with stacking up the apple slices into the bottom crust, pour the apple’s remaining juice over it (don’t use more than 1 cup of juice). Take your tablespoon of butter and cut it into approximately 8 small pieces which you’ll then arrange evenly over the pie.
Take your top crust and make a few slits on top of it with a sharp knife. Place the top crust over the bottom crust and apples. Remove excess hanging dough as needed and then use your fingers to fold the rest of the dough underneath itself around the edges, making a nice thick rim. Crimp it with a fork all around.
Mix your egg with a tablespoon of water and use this mixture to brush the top crust evenly.
Bake Your Apple Pie
With your apple pie all ready to go, place it on the baking sheet with parchment paper in place. As mentioned, bake it for about 75 minutes with a couple of turns for even browning at 400 degrees F.
There’s nothing more delicious than a homemade apple pie. But if you’re still more interested in trying this delicacy made by someone else’s possibly more expert hands, our Glass and Vine restaurant is bound to show up when you look for the best apple pie near me in Miami. We’re proud of our delectable menu and are confident in our ability to provide you with the most satisfying array of textures and flavors.
Don’t hesitate to visit us at Glass and Vine and escape the city’s hustle and bustle for a while. Our restaurant is situated at the breathtaking nature of Coconut Grove by the sea, making your dining time even more relaxing and enjoyable.
