Apple Pie is an iconic dessert, beloved by all. Talk of making the ideal pie can often turn contentious; here are a few simple tips to help you bake an irresistibly delicious apple pie that everyone in your circle will adore!
1. Precook Apple Slices
This step is paramount to creating a perfect Apple Pie recipe. Precooking apple slices helps ensure crisp and delectable filling that will prevent that dreaded “pie gap”.
2. Chill the Pie Crust Dough
One key to creating an airy pie crust lies in chilling the dough prior to rolling and baking it. This allows its gluten to relax, providing air pockets within pastry for better airy pockets that make a good crust so desirable.
3. Bake Your Pie Correctly
When it comes to pie baking, take your time. Allowing it to fully cool will allow the filling to set properly so it can be removed from its container and cut smoothly.
4. Brush with an Egg Wash
An egg wash is an easy and effective way to seal the top crust. An egg wash combines one or more whole eggs with water (or milk or cream). It provides some shine to the crust while serving as an additional barrier against filling leakage into the bottom crust, helping avoid soggy bottom crust.
5. Select Apples
The ideal apple pie recipe requires selecting apples of various levels of tartness and textures. Consider including Red Delicious, Granny Smith and McIntosh in your pie ingredients list for maximum enjoyment; while mealy varieties such as Fuji or Red Delicious could turn into an unpleasant texture when cooked.
6. Refrigerate
Your Pie As with any homemade pie, refrigerating it overnight before cutting will make it easier to slice into neat slices and will allow its flavors to come together even further.
To prevent your pie crust from becoming soggy or cracking during baking, always place it on a rimmed baking sheet when preheating the oven. This will catch any overflow and keep the crust from burning during the process. If you don’t have one available to you, cover half way through your cooking time with foil to prevent too rapid browning; once finished baking transfer to a rack to fully cool before slicing.
