Health

Apple Slab Pie

admin 4 min read

Apple Slab Pie Recipe

Apple slab pie is the perfect dessert when you’re baking for a crowd. Imagine a giant apple pie baked in a large rectangular pan, then sliced into neat squares for easy serving. It’s simple, shareable, and absolutely delicious.

Ingredients

For the crust

  • 3 3/4 cups (470 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
  • 3 sticks unsalted butter (each about 12 oz / 340 g), very cold and cut into small pieces
  • 3/4 cup very cold water

For the apple filling

  • 3 1/2 to 4 pounds apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (about 10 cups)
  • A squeeze of fresh lemon juice
  • 2/3 to 3/4 cup sugar (adjust to taste and sweetness of apples)
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/8 teaspoon table salt

To finish

  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
    or
  • 1 beaten egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)

Instructions

1. Make the crust

  1. Place the flour in a large, wide bowl. Stir in the sugar and salt.
  2. Add the cold butter pieces and toss them so they’re coated in flour.
  3. Using the first three fingers of each hand, rub and break the butter into the flour until the pieces are slightly larger than peas. You can also use two knives or a sturdy pastry blender if you prefer, but hands work very well.
  4. When the mixture looks fairly uniform and crumbly, with small bits of butter throughout, pour in 1/2 cup of the cold water.
  5. Use a rubber spatula to gently mix until the water is mostly absorbed and the dough starts to come together. If the mixture still looks dry and crumbly, add more water a little at a time until the dough begins to hold together.
  6. Switch to your hands and lightly knead until the dough forms a soft, slightly loose ball.
  7. Divide the dough into two pieces, making one portion slightly larger than the other (the larger piece will be for the bottom crust).
  8. Place each portion on plastic wrap and shape into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Use the plastic wrap to help press cracks together if needed.
  9. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours so the dough can chill and rest.

2. Prepare the apple filling

  1. In a large bowl, toss the apple pieces with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent browning.
  2. In a separate medium bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt.
  3. Sprinkle this sugar-spice mixture over the apples and stir until all the apple pieces are well coated. Set aside while you roll out the dough.

3. Assemble the slab pie

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Line the bottom of a 10 x 15-inch baking sheet (with 1-inch sides) with parchment paper.
    • If your pan is slightly smaller, that’s fine—you may just have a little extra dough.
  3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger portion of dough into an 18 x 13-inch rectangle.
  4. Carefully transfer the dough to the prepared pan, letting the edges hang over the sides. Gently press the dough into the bottom and corners of the pan.
  5. Place the pan in the refrigerator or freezer to keep the dough cold while you roll the top crust.
  6. Roll out the smaller portion of dough into a 16 x 11-inch rectangle.

4. Fill and seal the pie

  1. Remove the pan with the bottom crust from the fridge or freezer.
  2. Spoon the apples and any accumulated juices into the crust, spreading them evenly. The pan will look quite full, but the apples will cook down as they bake.
  3. Lay the second sheet of dough over the apples.
  4. Trim both the top and bottom crusts so they extend about 3/4 inch beyond the edges of the pan.
  5. Fold and press the edges together with your fingers to seal the pie all around.

5. Add the wash and bake

  1. Brush the top crust with heavy cream or the egg wash mixture.
  2. Using a sharp knife, cut multiple 1-inch slits across the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking.
  3. Place the entire sheet pan on a larger baking tray to catch any juices that might bubble over.
  4. Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until the top crust is a rich golden brown and the filling is bubbling up through the slits.

6. Cool and serve

  1. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the pie cool for at least 45 minutes. This helps the filling set and makes slicing easier.
  2. Cut into squares and serve.

Enjoy your apple slab pie!