Solutions to Your Apple Pie Problems
By Adina Steiman
Time for a confession: Last night (this morning?), I was up until 12:45 a.m. looking at apple pie recipes for Thanksgiving (currently, this Old-Fashioned Mixed-Apple Pie is the top contender). Perhaps this obsessive search was triggered by yesterday’s news of the sure-to-be pie-filled new season of Twin Peaks in 2016.
Truth is, though, that I can’t bake a pie with the sweet confidence that Norma can. Apple pie might seem like a simple, classic all-American dessert, but it can be as complex and dastardly as the most elaborate French mille-crepes cake. And even though I bake apple pie every year, the same issues keep cropping up.
Then it came to me. I work alongside Epicurious food editor and notorious pie-baking impresario Rhoda Boone. Surely she could helpsolve my thorniest apple-pie problems. Lucky for me, she was willing to lend a hand.
Pie Problem #1: My dough is always crumbly and hard to roll out. At first glance, you’d think that a crumbly dough means you’re using too much flour (or not enough water). But I always fluff, spoon, and level my flour carefully, and it’s pretty much impossible to mess up measuring water. So what gives?
Rhoda says: You’re probably not using enough water. While the dough is still in the food processor, motor shut off of course, squeeze a clump of dough together with your fingers. It should hold together without feeling crumbly. If it needs it, you can add up to 2 additional tablespoons of water for a batch of double crust.
Pie Problem #2: There are never enough apples. Why are there never enough apples? Though my apple pie looks beautifully domed when it goes into the oven, it always comes out sadly deflated. Am I overbaking the pie? Am I not using enough filling?
Rhoda says: Apples are going to cook down a lot, so you want to start with about 3 1/2 pounds, which probably will seem like too much when piled in the pan. The key is to pack the apples very tightly in the pie shell. I also like to use apples that maintain their shape (and volume) when cooked, like Golden Delicious, Braeburn, and Honey Crisp varieties.
Pie Problem #3: Ugh! Too much cinnamon. My pie smells like a Yankee Candle. I love cinnamon, but it often ends up overpowering the flavor of the local apples I’ve lovingly put in the pie. Sure, I can come down on cinnamon, but are there other spices/flavorings that are more subtle?
Rhoda says: I love to add nutmeg to apple pies; it really rounds out the flavor of cinnamon. Just reduce the cinnamon a bit and replace that amount with ground nutmeg, either freshly grated with a Microplane or from a fresh bottle. A spoonful of fresh lemon juice with the apples is nice, too.
Pie Problem #4: My lovingly crimped crust never holds its shape. The crust goes into the oven looking like it’ll merit a blue ribbon, but comes out as an awkward, lumpy band around the pie.
Rhoda says: You need to chill your assembled pie before you bake it to set the shape. Refrigerate it for 30 minutes while your oven is preheating. It’s also important to hit that chilled pie with a blast of heat to set the shape. Just place a rimmed baking sheet on a rack in the lower third of the oven when it preheats. That way, you get a crisp bottom crust and a perfectly shaped edge.
Pie Problem #5: My pie looks homemade, but not that pretty. I love weaving a lattice crust, but I know that’s not ideal for apple pie. Any other apple-friendly tricks to try?
Actually, lattice crusts can be ideal for apple pie—the top crusts adjusts to the height of the pie as it bakes, so you won’t get that gap between the top crust and the dough. Another quick trick to add polish: before you start crimping, tuck the top and bottom crust under for a fatter edge. And brushing the top crust with milk and sprinkling it with coarse sugar is always a good idea.
Pie Problem #6: The juices run out of the pie when I slice it. Is there a problem with the flour I usually use as a thickener?
The best thing you can do for a pie is to let it cool for 3 to 4 hours before slicing. Pies will continue to “set up”, or thicken, as they cool, so try to bake them on Thanksgiving morning (or up to 2 days ahead). Just be sure not to cover it tightly or put it in a sealed container or the crust will get soggy. Leftover breakfast pie must be protected.
More from Epicurious:
Your Holiday Pie Homebase: Our Best Recipes and Baking Advice
10 Ways to Avoid Turkey Day Disaster
The Most Delicious Roast Chicken Dinner You’ll Make This Fall
14 Non-Pumpkin Autumnal Desserts To Bake This Fall
Your Ultimate Guide to Thanksgiving Cooking
