Apple pie is a traditional American dish; however, the recipe for this favorite dessert varies greatly depending on the apples used, the shelf life of the filling, and other personal preferences. You'll need to choose an apple pie filling recipe according to the length of time you bake the pie or you can experiment with different variations of the apple pie.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Fresh Apple Pie Stuffing
Step 1. Select the apple you will use
The type of apple you choose will determine which is better: cooking the apples first or stuffing the raw apples and baking them in a pie later.
- Use Golden, Spartan, McIntosh and Roma apples if you prefer not to roast the apples first. These types of apples tend to break quickly in the oven.
- Use Granny Smiths, Honeycrisp, or Gala apples if you prefer to roast the apples first. These apples are dense and may be too crunchy if they are not baked before adding them to the cake.
Step 2. Peel and discard the center of the apple
- Remove the center of the apple using a special tool called an apple corer which has jagged edges. Insert this tool into the center of the apple. Rotate the tool 360 degrees, then pull out the center of the apple.
- Use a paring knife or an apple peeler machine to thoroughly peel about 7 very large apples or 12 small apples.
- If you have apples of various sizes, aim to make about 4 cups (684 g) of apple slices.
Step 3. Slice the apple
- Use a mandolin slicer to thinly slice the apples if you don't plan on cooking the apples beforehand. Thinner slices will bake and wilt more quickly.
- Slice the apples with a knife if you are going to bake them first. The thickness of the apple slices to be baked can be up to 1.3 cm.
Step 4. Cook the apples first
Pre-cooked apples will be slightly sweet, but how you cook them will determine the crispness after baking.
- Choose to blanch your apples. You can also put the apples in boiling water for 1 minute, or Lab Food suggests pouring boiling water into a bowl of apple slices and letting the apples soak for 10 minutes before draining. In this way, the pectin in the apples will be heat stable so the apples can retain their shape and crispness.
- Choose to cook apples on the stove if you prefer a less crunchy apple pie filling. Place the apples in the dutch oven and heat over medium heat.
- Stir occasionally while the apples are heated for 10 minutes.
- If you prefer not to cook the apples first, mix the apple slices with the juice and grate the outer rind (yellow part only) of 1 lemon.
Step 5. Mix sugar and seasoning
Add 3/4 cup (141g) light brown sugar, 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour, 3/4 tsp (2g) cinnamon powder, and 1/4 tsp (6g) ground nutmeg in a bowl.
Step 6. Add the sugar mixture to the heated apples or fresh apples that have been coated with lemon juice
Step 7. Immediately add the apple filling mixture to the pie
If you want to make a filling that can be refrigerated, frozen or canned, you'll need to use the next method.
- Beat the eggs to make a spread. Spread with a pastry brush over the pie. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon and sugar.
- Preheat the oven to 232 degrees Celsius. Bake the pie for 5 minutes. Keep an eye on the oven and remove the pie when it starts to burn.
Method 2 of 3: Apple Pie Stuffing for Canning or Freezing
Step 1. Prepare 684 g apples then remove the center, peel and slice
Use a special tool to remove the center of the apple, a vegetable peeler, and a slicer to save time during this preparation process.
- Squeeze 1 lemon. Pour the lemon juice into a bowl. Toss the apple slices with the lemon juice while you slice the remaining apples.
- The lemon juice will prevent the apples from turning brown immediately.
Step 2. Blanch the apples
- Soak apples in boiling water for 1 minute.
- Alternatively, you can pour boiling water over the apples and let them soak for 10 minutes to allow them to crisp up longer. Drain the apples and set aside.
Step 3. Mix the thickener, sugar and seasoning
Place 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar, 1/4 cup (40g) Clear Jel canned thickener, 1/2 tsp (1.3g) cinnamon, and 1/8 tsp (0.3g) nutmeg to a large saucepan which has not been heated.
- Clear Jel canned food thickener is used to replace cornstarch or flour. This product is a modified result of cornstarch and is safe to use for canning and food storage.
- Mix dry ingredients with a wooden spoon.
Step 4. Pour in 3/4 cup (177ml) apple juice and 1/2 cup (118ml) cold water
Add the sugar mixture to the liquid mixture and stir with a wooden spoon.
Step 5. Heat the mixture over medium heat
Stir the mixture regularly while it heats up
Step 6. Add the apples
After the liquid sugar mixture boils slowly, add the drained blanched apples to the saucepan.
- Stir the mixture.
- Wait until the apples have heated evenly, which is about 5 minutes.
Step 7. Can the apple pie filling
- Sterilize your jars before using them. After washing the jars in the dishwasher, place the jars in boiling water for 10 minutes.
- Pour the hot apple pie filling into hot jars using a funnel and spoon.
- Place the apple pie filling in a thick plastic container to freeze.
- Place the sterilized jar lids over the jars with the apple pie filling, then place the closed jars in boiling water for 25 to 30 minutes.
Step 8. Open a jar of apple pie filling
Pour onto pie crust and bake for 35 to 45 minutes at 204 degrees Celsius.
Method 3 of 3: Apple Pie Variations
Step 1. Use cornstarch instead of flour
You can make a fresh apple pie filling on the stove, if you prefer to use cornstarch over wheat flour.
- Mix 1 cup (236ml) water, 1 tbsp (15ml) apple juice, 1 cup (200g) sugar, and 1/4 cup (32g) cornstarch with your other seasonings in a saucepan.
- Heat over medium heat and stir regularly. Remove from the heat once the mixture thickens and bubbles.
Step 2. Add 1/4 tsp (5 ml) of vanilla extract
Pour this extract over the blanched apples or fresh apples before you mix the apples with the sugar.
Step 3. Make the Dutch apple pie filling
Use this traditional apple pie filling with pie crust and crumb mixture.
- Dutch apple pie is usually topped with the oat/wheat crumb mixture, not the second pie crust.
- Add fresh pie filling to the top of the bottom crust. Combine 1 cup (125g) flour, 1/2 cup (95g) brown sugar, 1/4 cup (39g) instant oats, and 1/3 cup (79ml) melted butter. Mix by hand.
- Place the Dutch apple pie crumbs on top of the filling before baking.
Step 4. Make a wok apple pie
- Pour your apple pie filling into a cast iron skillet.
- Place 1 pie crust on top. Press the edges down and scrape the top of the pie crust 4 times with a knife.
- Bake in the oven at the traditional pie baking temperature and time. Check periodically to check the pies if necessary.
Step 5. Mix apple pie with cheese
If you'd like to try a nontraditional apple pie recipe, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup (20 to 40g) grated aged cheddar or Swiss Comte cheese.
Place cheese on top of filling, then cover with pie crust or pastry lattice rim
