Classic yet with a bit of a twist to it, this recipe combines the best apple pie crust with a simple filling which has an ideal touch of cinnamon a.k.a. the apple pie spice. It also has a nice fluffy bed of a soft meringue with a crunchy crumble on top. Simply put – the best apple pie recipe out there!
I’ve been bragging about this recipe on Instagram for way too long! The simple reason being, I have a genuine weakness for it. It’s a family recipe that has been around for a while. It calls for all the things that are the best about baking – it only requires simple ingredients, it’s not too complicated and helps you relax, yet encourages mindful baking.
Ingredients in this pie
- Butter – you can substitute the butter with a baking margarine, but if you use unsalted butter, it will give the apple pie crust the best flavour.
- White wheat flour
- Baking powder – to help the cake crust raise properly.
- Sugar – you only need to use a small amount of sugar for the crust as the meringue layer will be very sweet.
- Egg yolks
- Sour apples – the more sour the apples the better. I usually turn to Reinette apples for best results, but you can use any kind that you know that is sour. If there is a lot of water left at the bottom of your dish with grated apples, your apple may turn out watery. Firstly, drain the apples and then add 1-2 tablespoons of potato starch. By doing this, you will allow the potato start absorb any additional moisture. As a result, your final cake will not be watery.
- Cinnamon – it has a distinct flavour which goes very well with apples and is considered to be the right apple pie spice.
- Caster sugar – because it has smaller granules than a regular sugar, it will melt more quickly. This will add a nice ‘crunch’ to the meringue.
- Potato starch – helps meringue ‘set’.
Does apple pie need to be refrigerated?
You can store the cake in room temperature for up to 2 days. Just make sure to cover it with foil, plastic wrap or stored in a container. After that time, you should store it in the fridge. However, this will unfortunately make the meringue lose its texture.
I hope you love this cake just as much as I do! If you make it, I’d love for you to leave a comment and a rating. And don’t forget to snap a photo and share it on social media for me to see!
Happy Baking!
Marta ♡
The Best Applie Pie
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 250 grams butter (chilled)
- 320 grams flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- Vanilla extract (or 8 grams of vanilla sugar)
- 5 egg yolks
For the Filling
- 1 kg sour apples
- Cinnamon
For the Meringue
- 5 egg whites
- 200 grams caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon potato starch
Instructions
For the Crust
- Line a 35 cm x 25 cm (13 inch x 9 inch) baking tray with parchment paper. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (356F).
- Place chilled butter in a large bowl. Chop with a knife to obtain small pieces of butter. Add flour, baking powder, sugar and vanilla extract and knead for 30 seconds up to 1 minute, just until the ingredients combine. Whisk egg yolks together and add them to the crust dough. Knead just until the ingredients combine. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts, use 3 parts to line the baking tray and place the dough in the fridge. Wrap the 4th part of the dough in a plastic wrap and place it in the freezer.
For the Filling
- Peel the apples, remove the seeds and grate them.
- Take the crust out of the fridge, spread the filling evenly on the crust. Take the cinnamon and generously sprinkle it on top of the apples.
For the Meringue
- Pour egg whites into a big bowl. Using a hand or a stand mixer whisk egg whites for 3-5 minutes until white and fluffy. Start adding the sugar, one tablespoon at a time making sure that you whisk it properly after each spoon (around 30-40 seconds). Make sure not to decrease or increase the amount of sugar that you add as it may result in the meringue not having the right texture. Add the potato starch at the end and whisk everything for 3 more minutes.
- Using a spatula or a big spoon, gently layer the cake with the meringue.
- Take the last portion of the crust dough out of the freezer. Using your finger, tear small crumbles away and place them on top of the meringue.
Baking
- Place the cake in the pre-heated oven. Bake for 50-60 minutes, depending on your oven. When time lapses, take the cake out of the oven and allow it to cool before serving. Serve on its own or with vanilla ice cream.
Did you make this recipe? Tag @foods_by_marta on Instagram and hastag #foodsbymarta
