Apple Slab Pie

flaky crust embracing a generous filling of tender, spiced apples, Apple Slab Pie is the quintessential autumn dessert, reimagined in a shareable, crowd-pleasing format that celebrates rustic charm and effortless elegance. This is not your grandmother’s traditional pie, confined to a round dish; it’s a grand, rectangular masterpiece, boasting a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth crust and a symphony of sweet and tart apples, enhanced by warm spices and baked to golden perfection, perfectly suited for gatherings large and small, offering a delightful twist on a beloved classic. Imagine the comforting aroma of cinnamon and baked apples filling your home, the sight of a beautifully browned slab pie gracing your table, and the first forkful delivering a burst of warm, spiced apple goodness that is both comforting and utterly delightful to share. This recipe is your invitation to bake a show-stopping dessert, bringing the rustic elegance of Apple Slab Pie to your kitchen, ready to impress with its simple grandeur and guaranteed to be a centrepiece of any autumnal celebration.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe?

Crowd Pleasing Dessert Serves a Generous Group

Appreciate the sheer practicality of Apple Slab Pie. This recipe is designed to feed a crowd, easily serving a large group with its generous slab format, making it ideal for potlucks, holiday gatherings, or any occasion where you need to provide a delicious dessert for many, eliminating the fuss of making multiple pies and ensuring everyone gets a slice of apple goodness, offering a stress-free solution for large gatherings and potluck contributions. Slab pies are inherently designed for sharing, making them perfect for parties and family events. Enjoy the ease of serving a delicious dessert to a large group without extra effort, making it a perfect choice for effortless entertaining and stress-free party planning.

Rustic Charm with Minimal Fuss Beautifully Simple

Indulge in the rustic beauty of Apple Slab Pie. This dessert embraces a relaxed and approachable aesthetic, requiring no fancy crimping or intricate decorations, allowing the simple beauty of the golden-brown crust and bubbling apple filling to shine through, offering a visually appealing dessert that is both elegant and effortlessly charming, proving that stunning desserts don’t need to be complicated or fussy. The slab pie format naturally lends itself to a rustic and charming presentation. Enjoy the beauty of a homemade pie without the pressure of perfection, making it a perfect choice for relaxed baking and showcasing natural, wholesome ingredients.

Perfect Crust to Filling Ratio Every Bite Balanced

Savour the delightful balance in every bite of Apple Slab Pie. This recipe ensures a perfect crust-to-filling ratio, providing ample buttery, flaky crust to complement the generous spiced apple filling, creating a harmonious flavour and texture experience in every slice, preventing the common pie problem of too much filling or too little crust, offering a perfectly balanced dessert that is satisfying from edge to edge. The rectangular shape of a slab pie allows for a more even distribution of crust and filling. Enjoy the perfect harmony of crust and filling in every bite, making it a truly satisfying and texturally balanced dessert experience.

Make Ahead Convenience Stress-Free Preparation

Embrace the make-ahead flexibility of Apple Slab Pie. This dessert can be assembled and even baked ahead of time, freeing up valuable time on the day of serving, making it a stress-free option for busy schedules and allowing you to prepare for gatherings in advance, ensuring you have a delicious and impressive dessert ready when you need it, offering a practical solution for busy hosts and simplifying party preparations. The pie crust and apple filling can be prepared separately in advance. Enjoy the ease of make-ahead baking, making it a perfect choice for stress-free entertaining and convenient dessert planning.

Versatile Apple Filling Customize Your Flavors

Discover the adaptable apple filling of Apple Slab Pie. This recipe welcomes customization, allowing you to use your favourite apple varieties and adjust the spices to your liking, creating a personalized flavour profile that suits your taste preferences and seasonal apple availability, offering endless possibilities for flavour exploration and ensuring your apple slab pie is uniquely yours. Mix different apple varieties for a more complex flavour and texture. Enjoy the creative freedom to customize the apple filling, making it a perfect choice for experimenting with flavours and creating your signature apple slab pie.

Ingredients

For the Buttery and Flaky Pie Crust

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling. All-purpose flour provides the structure for the pie crust, creating a tender and flaky texture when properly measured and handled. Spooning and leveling ensures accurate measurement and prevents dry crust. Extra flour is needed for dusting the work surface during rolling.
• 1 teaspoon salt, kosher salt or sea salt. Salt enhances the flavour of the crust and balances the sweetness of the filling, preventing a bland taste and highlighting the buttery notes. Kosher salt or sea salt are preferred for their pure flavour and even seasoning. Adjust to taste.
• 1 cup unsalted butter, 2 sticks unsalted butter, very cold and cubed unsalted butter. Very cold, cubed unsalted butter is crucial for creating flaky pie crust, as it creates layers of fat that separate during baking, resulting in a tender and flaky texture. Unsalted butter allows for better control over salt level. Butter must be very cold to prevent melting and ensure flakiness.
• ½ cup ice water, ice water, plus more if needed ice water. Ice water is essential for bringing the dough together without overworking it, keeping the butter cold and preventing gluten development, which leads to a tender and flaky crust. Ice water must be very cold to maintain butter’s cold temperature. Add water gradually, just enough to bring dough together.

For the Spiced Apple Filling

• 6-7 medium apples, about 3 pounds total, mixed varieties like Honeycrisp, Gala, and Fuji apples. Mixed apple varieties provide a balance of sweetness, tartness, and texture in the filling, creating a more complex and flavourful pie. Honeycrisp, Gala, and Fuji apples are recommended for their flavour and texture. Use firm, crisp apples that hold their shape during baking.
• ½ cup granulated sugar. Granulated sugar adds sweetness to the apple filling, balancing the tartness of the apples and creating a caramelized flavour during baking. Granulated sugar provides a clean sweetness that complements the apple and spices. Adjust amount depending on apple sweetness.
• ¼ cup packed light brown sugar. Light brown sugar adds a warm, caramel-like sweetness and depth of flavour to the apple filling, enhancing the overall flavour profile and adding complexity. Packed light brown sugar provides a moist and flavorful sweetness.
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour. All-purpose flour helps to thicken the apple filling as it bakes, absorbing excess juices and preventing a watery pie. All-purpose flour acts as a binder and thickener for the filling.
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh lemon juice. Fresh lemon juice brightens the flavour of the apple filling, prevents browning, and adds a touch of acidity that balances the sweetness. Fresh lemon juice enhances flavour and prevents oxidation.
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Ground cinnamon is a classic spice for apple pie, providing a warm, sweet, and aromatic flavour that complements the apples perfectly. Ground cinnamon is essential for traditional apple pie flavour. Use fresh ground cinnamon for best aroma and flavour.
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg. Ground nutmeg adds a warm, slightly nutty, and aromatic spice note to the apple filling, enhancing the complexity of the spice blend and adding depth. Ground nutmeg complements cinnamon and adds warmth. Use freshly grated nutmeg for best flavour.
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice. Ground allspice adds a warm, complex, and slightly peppery spice note to the apple filling, rounding out the spice blend and adding depth. Ground allspice adds complexity to the spice profile. Use sparingly as it can be potent.
• ¼ teaspoon salt, kosher salt or sea salt. Salt enhances all the flavours in the apple filling, balancing the sweetness and spices and preventing a flat or bland taste. Kosher salt or sea salt are preferred for their pure flavour and even seasoning. Adjust to taste.
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ stick unsalted butter, cut into small pieces unsalted butter. Small pieces of unsalted butter are dotted over the apple filling before baking, adding richness and flavour and creating pockets of melted butter throughout the pie. Unsalted butter adds richness and flavour to the filling. Dotting butter ensures even distribution of richness.

For the Optional Egg Wash and Sugar Topping

• 1 large egg, large egg, beaten large egg. Beaten large egg is used for egg wash, brushing over the pie crust to promote browning and add a glossy sheen. Egg wash enhances crust browning and appearance.
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, granulated sugar, for sprinkling granulated sugar. Granulated sugar is sprinkled over the egg-washed crust, adding a touch of sweetness and creating a sparkling, caramelized crust topping. Granulated sugar adds sweetness and visual appeal to the crust.

How to Make Apple Slab Pie ?

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Step 1: Make the Pie Crust

In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour and salt. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients for the crust: all-purpose flour and salt. Whisking ensures even distribution of salt throughout the flour.

Add cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Add cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture.

Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut in cold butter into the flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Leaving some pea-sized butter pieces is crucial for flakiness. Work quickly to keep butter cold.

Gradually add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until dough just comes together. Gradually add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing with a fork or spatula until dough just comes together and is no longer dry but not sticky. Add only enough ice water to bring dough together; avoid adding too much water. Dough should be shaggy and slightly moist.

Divide dough in half. Divide dough in half, forming two discs.

Wrap each dough disc in plastic wrap and flatten into discs. Wrap each dough disc in plastic wrap and flatten into discs to about 1-inch thickness. Flattening makes chilling and rolling easier.

Refrigerate dough discs for at least 1 hour, or preferably 2 hours, or up to overnight, to chill completely and allow gluten to relax. Refrigerate dough discs for at least 1 hour, or preferably 2 hours, or up to overnight, to chill completely and allow butter to firm up and gluten to relax. Chilling is essential for preventing shrinkage and creating flaky crust.

Step 2: Prepare the Apple Filling

Peel, core, and slice apples into ¼-inch thick slices. Peel, core, and slice apples into ¼-inch thick slices. Aim for uniform slices for even cooking.

In a large bowl, combine sliced apples, granulated sugar, brown sugar, all-purpose flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. In a large bowl, combine sliced apples, granulated sugar, brown sugar, all-purpose flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Toss gently to coat apples evenly with sugar, spices, and flour.

Set apple filling aside while you roll out the crust. Set apple filling aside while you roll out the crust, allowing flavours to meld and apples to release some juices.

Step 3: Assemble and Bake the Slab Pie

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Preheat oven to the specified temperature to ensure even baking of the slab pie.

Lightly grease a 10×15 inch baking sheet or jelly roll pan. Lightly grease a 10×15 inch baking sheet or jelly roll pan to prevent sticking.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out one dough disc into a 12×17 inch rectangle, about ⅛-inch thick. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one dough disc into a 12×17 inch rectangle, about ⅛-inch thick, large enough to fit the bottom of the baking sheet with some overhang. Roll from the center outwards, rotating dough frequently to prevent sticking.

Carefully transfer rolled dough to the prepared baking sheet, gently pressing it into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Carefully transfer rolled dough to the prepared baking sheet, gently pressing it into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, leaving any overhang.

Pour apple filling evenly over the crust in the pan. Pour apple filling evenly over the crust in the pan, spreading it in an even layer.

Dot apple filling with small pieces of butter (for filling). Dot apple filling evenly with small pieces of butter (for filling).

Roll out remaining dough disc into an 11×16 inch rectangle, about ⅛-inch thick. Roll out remaining dough disc into an 11×16 inch rectangle, about ⅛-inch thick, slightly smaller than the bottom crust.

Carefully place top crust over the apple filling. Carefully place top crust over the apple filling, gently draping it over the apples.

Trim and crimp edges of the crust to seal and create a decorative edge. Trim and crimp edges of the crust to seal and create a decorative edge, pressing top and bottom crust edges together and crimping with fingers or a fork.

Whisk egg (for egg wash) with 1 tablespoon water to make egg wash. Whisk egg (for egg wash) with 1 tablespoon water to make egg wash.

Brush top crust with egg wash. Brush top crust evenly with egg wash for browning and shine.

Sprinkle granulated sugar (for topping) evenly over the egg-washed crust. Sprinkle granulated sugar (for topping) evenly over the egg-washed crust for added sweetness and sparkle.

Cut slits in the top crust to vent steam. Cut slits in the top crust using a sharp knife to vent steam and prevent crust from bursting during baking.

Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly and apples are tender. Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly and apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Baking time may vary slightly depending on oven. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the apples; it should be tender.

Let Apple Slab Pie cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Let Apple Slab Pie cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving, allowing filling to set slightly and pie to cool enough to handle. Cooling slightly makes slicing easier and prevents burning your mouth.

Serve Apple Slab Pie warm or at room temperature. Serve Apple Slab Pie warm or at room temperature, with desired toppings if using.

Tips for Variations

Caramel Drizzle Decadent Sweetness

Drizzle caramel sauce over the baked and cooled apple slab pie for an extra layer of sweetness and decadence. Caramel sauce adds a rich, buttery sweetness that complements the apple pie flavours. Use store-bought or homemade caramel sauce.

Maple Glaze Autumnal Warmth

Brush the warm baked apple slab pie with a maple glaze made from maple syrup and melted butter for an autumnal flavour boost and glossy finish. Maple glaze enhances the autumnal theme and adds a warm, maple flavour.

Streusel Topping Crumbly Texture Contrast

Top the apple filling with a streusel topping made from flour, butter, sugar, and oats for a crumbly and buttery texture contrast to the flaky crust. Streusel topping adds a textural element and buttery sweetness.

Different Apple Varieties Flavor Depth Exploration

Use a variety of apple types, such as Granny Smith, Braeburn, or Pink Lady, in addition to Honeycrisp, Gala, and Fuji, for a more complex and nuanced apple flavour profile. Different apple varieties offer varying levels of sweetness, tartness, and texture.

Spice Up the Filling Warm Spice Variations

Add ½ teaspoon ground ginger or ¼ teaspoon ground cloves to the apple filling spice blend for a warmer and more complex spice flavour. Ground ginger or cloves add warmth and depth to the spice profile. Adjust spice amounts to your preference.

Serving Suggestions

Vanilla Ice Cream Scoop Classic Pie Pairing

Serve Apple Slab Pie warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or cinnamon ice cream for a classic and comforting dessert combination, balancing the warm pie with cool and creamy ice cream. Vanilla or cinnamon ice cream are traditional pairings for apple pie. Ensure to use halal certified ice cream.

Whipped Cream Dollop Light and Airy Topping

Top Apple Slab Pie with a dollop of freshly whipped cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream for a light and airy topping that complements the richness of the pie. Whipped cream adds lightness and creaminess without overpowering the pie flavours. Ensure to use halal certified cream.

Cheddar Cheese Slice Savory-Sweet Contrast (Optional)

Offer slices of cheddar cheese alongside Apple Slab Pie for those who enjoy a savory-sweet combination, creating a classic and intriguing flavour contrast. Cheddar cheese and apple pie is a classic American pairing, offering a salty and savory contrast.

Coffee or Tea Warm Beverage Pairing

Serve Apple Slab Pie with a cup of hot coffee or tea, such as black tea, herbal tea, or spiced chai tea, for a comforting and warming beverage pairing, especially perfect for cooler weather. Coffee or tea are classic beverage pairings for pie.

Cider or Apple Juice Autumnal Drink Accompaniment

Pair Apple Slab Pie with a glass of chilled apple cider or sparkling apple juice for a refreshing and autumnal drink accompaniment, enhancing the apple flavour and creating a festive pairing. Apple cider or juice are natural and festive pairings for apple pie.

FAQ

Can I use pre-made pie crust for Apple Slab Pie?

Yes, you can use pre-made pie crusts to simplify making Apple Slab Pie. You will need about 2 boxes of pre-made pie crusts to fit a slab pie pan. Pre-made pie crusts save time and effort. Ensure to thaw pre-made crusts according to package directions.

How do I store leftover Apple Slab Pie?

Store leftover Apple Slab Pie in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Refrigeration is recommended for longer storage, especially for pies with fruit fillings. Airtight container prevents pie from drying out.

Can I freeze Apple Slab Pie?

Apple Slab Pie freezes well, baked or unbaked, for up to 3 months. Freeze baked and cooled pie or unbaked assembled pie in freezer-safe containers or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed if unbaked, or reheat gently if baked. Freezing is convenient for longer storage and make-ahead baking.

Why is my Apple Slab Pie crust tough?

Tough Apple Slab Pie crust is often caused by overworking the dough or adding too much water. Avoid overmixing the dough and add ice water gradually, just until dough comes together. Overmixing develops gluten and leads to tough crust.

How can I prevent my Apple Slab Pie crust from getting soggy?

To prevent a soggy Apple Slab Pie crust, ensure the bottom crust is blind-baked slightly before adding the filling, and avoid overfilling the pie with too much juicy apple filling. Blind-baking partially cooks the bottom crust and creates a barrier against moisture. Thickening the apple filling with flour also helps.

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