5 Simple Apple Pie Recipes You Must Try
What could be better for soothing the soul than a cup of your favorite hot beverage and a piece of a delicate dessert? Exactly — a cup of beverage and two pieces of dessert. So we’ll think about diets tomorrow, and today we’ll bake an apple pie. What’s more, we’ve put in the effort for you — we’ve already baked, tasted… and chosen simple recipes — from classic to fancy — that are sure to succeed: they’re accessible, and the result is always amazing. So, let’s begin.
1. Classic Apple Charlotte (The Simplest Recipe)
This simple pie recipe is probably known to everyone, but it can’t be left out of the selection — it’s the taste of childhood.
Ingredients:
* Apples — 4–5 large
* Eggs — 3
* Sugar — 1 cup (200 g)
* Flour — 1 cup (130–150 g)
* Baking soda or baking powder — 0.5 tsp (quench with vinegar if using soda)
* Pinch of salt
* Vanilla extract — optional
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F). Grease a baking pan and dust with flour.
2. Wash the apples, peel them, remove the seeds, and slice thinly.
3. Prepare the batter: In a deep bowl, beat the eggs with sugar and a pinch of salt until light and fluffy (about 5–7 minutes). Sift the flour with baking powder and gently fold it into the egg mixture with a spatula using bottom-to-top motions to keep the batter airy.
5. Place the apple slices in the pan and evenly pour the batter over them.
6. Bake for 30–40 minutes until golden brown. Check with a toothpick — it should come out dry.
7. Let the pie cool slightly in the pan, then serve with tea. Delicious both warm and cold.
2. Open Sand Pie with Apples and Crumble (Streusel)
A German version of the pie with delightful butter crumble — streusel, after which the dessert is named.
Ingredients:
For the shortcrust base:
* Flour — 200 g
* Butter (cold) — 100 g
* Sugar — 80 g
* Egg yolk — 1
* Pinch of salt
For the filling:
* Apples — 5–6
* Cinnamon — 1 tsp
* Lemon juice — 1 tbsp
For the crumble (streusel):
* Flour — 100 g
* Butter (cold) — 70 g
* Sugar — 70 g
Instructions:
1. Base: Mix flour with sugar and salt. Grate cold butter into the mixture. Add the yolk and quickly knead the dough. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Roll out the dough, transfer to a pan (24–26 cm diameter), form edges. Prick with a fork and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (356°F) for 15 minutes for blind baking.
3. Crumble: While the base is baking, prepare the streusel. Mix all crumble ingredients with your fingers until crumbly.
4. Filling: Peel the apples, slice thinly, drizzle with lemon juice, sprinkle with cinnamon, and mix.
5. Remove the base from the oven. Spread the apples over it. Evenly distribute the butter crumble on top.
6. Bake the pie for another 25–35 minutes until the crumble is golden. Let it cool completely.
3. French Apple Tart (Tarte Tatin)
An elegant upside-down pie where caramelized apples end up on top.
Ingredients:
* Apples (preferably firm) — 8–10
* Butter — 100 g
* Sugar — 150 g
* Ready-made puff pastry (non-yeast) — 1 package
Instructions:
1. Take a pan with a thick bottom (preferably cast iron) that can be used on the stovetop. Melt butter in it, add sugar, and cook over medium heat until golden caramel.
2. Peel the apples, cut into quarters, and remove the cores. Tightly arrange them in the pan with caramel, rounded side down.
3. Sauté the apples over medium heat for 10–15 minutes until slightly cooked and infused with caramel.
4. Cover the apples with a rolled-out sheet of puff pastry, tucking the edges inside the pan.
5. Make a few pricks with a fork and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (392°F) for 20–25 minutes until the pastry is browned.
6. The key step: Remove the tart from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes. Cover the pan with a larger plate and confidently flip it over. Be careful, the caramel is hot! Serve warm, possibly with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
4. American Apple Pie (Apple Pie)
A famous pie with a double crust and generous filling.
Ingredients:
For the dough (or 2 packages of ready-made non-yeast puff pastry):
* Flour — 300 g
* Butter (cold) — 200 g
* Ice water — 4–6 tbsp
* Sugar — 1 tbsp
* Salt — 0.5 tsp
For the filling:
* Apples — 1–1.2 kg
* Sugar — 100–150 g (to taste)
* Cinnamon — 1–2 tsp
* Flour or starch — 2 tbsp (to thicken the juice)
* Lemon juice — 1 tbsp
* Butter — 20 g
Instructions:
1. Dough: Mix flour, sugar, and salt. Grate in cold butter. Add ice water and gather the dough. Divide into 2 parts (one slightly larger), wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Filling: Slice the apples thinly, mix with sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and flour or starch.
3. Roll out the larger part of the dough, place in the pan. Spread the filling in a mound. Dot with pieces of cold butter on top.
4. Roll out the second part of the dough. Cover the pie. Pinch the edges, make a few slits in the top crust for steam to escape.
5. Brush the top of the pie with milk or beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.
6. Bake at 190°C (374°F) for 45–55 minutes until golden brown. Let the pie cool completely in the pan so the filling sets.
5. Apple Pie with Kefir (Quick and Moist)
A very tender, slightly moist pie that is prepared in one bowl.
Ingredients:
* Apples — 2–3
* Kefir — 1 cup (250 ml)
* Flour — 2 cups (260–300 g)
* Eggs — 2
* Sugar — 1 cup (200 g)
* Butter or vegetable oil — 80 ml (melted)
* Baking soda — 1 tsp (do not quench, kefir will do it)
* Baking powder — 1 tsp
* Vanilla extract, cinnamon — to taste
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F). Grease a baking pan.
2. In a deep bowl, mix eggs with sugar. Add kefir, cooled melted butter, and mix.
3. Add flour mixed with baking soda and baking powder. Mix until you have a homogeneous batter with the consistency of thick sour cream.
4. Peel the apples and dice finely. Add 2/3 of the apples to the batter and mix.
5. Pour the batter into the pan. Arrange the remaining apple pieces on top, pressing them in slightly. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
6. Bake for 40–50 minutes. Check with a toothpick. Let cool slightly in the pan.
