You are the apple of my eye – My Apple Pie!
Do you remember those summer days when you came back home from school and your mother was ready with an apple pie?
I distinctly remember my mom used to make apple pies every other weekend for me and that used to be my favorite part of the day.
Nothing feels sweeter than a piece of apple pie. That happens not only because of its taste but because an apple pie feels like long labor of love.
Apple pie or american pie – both are the same thing!
Though it was originated from England but around 20th century it became their sign of patriotism.
No market-bought pie filling can ever satisfy my taste buds as traditional apple pie recipe used to do. This is exactly why I decided to learn the recipe last time I visited home.
The secret of a great pie depends upon its thick apple pie filling. And it’s no secret to anyone that ready-made crust or fillings are not as good as the ones we make from scratch.
Yes, it can be time-consuming and in modern-paced life to make everything from scratch can also be a problem. But not every day, Christmas or thanksgiving will come, this recipe is for that one special day. I am gonna share my favorite easy apple pie recipe with you all for that special occasion.
This is one of the best apple pie filling recipes that you will ever come across, I use brown sugar in my pies. So this sweet dish can be something that even diabetic people can have during their cravings.
Not only brown sugar, but we can also make small changes here and there to make the Pie even more healthy.
Therefore, before going into my favorite apple pie filling with Brown Sugar recipe, I am gonna share some of the substitutes that are going to make your cooking experience easier.
Apple pie filling Without Cornstarch – 4 Substitutes
The correct consistency of a pie is a sign of your perfect baking skills. Therefore, if you want your pie to be juicy but also thick, it is tricky to hit the correct balance.
The worst fear of baking a pie could be the pie turning soggy, to prevent that from happening we generally use cornstarch.
I have some alternatives to this ingredient as well. These alternatives are essential for the apple pie crust recipe. So, here are the 4 best substitutes that you can use for your ultimate juicy, thick pie.
#1. Wheat Flour
One of the most commonly used alternative ingredients for cornstarch is wheat flour. Especially if you are using dense apples in your pie then you should go with wheat flour as a substitute.
But keep one thing in mind: your quantity of wheat flour should be more than cornstarch. It is because wheat flour isn’t as purified as cornstarch.
2 teaspoons of flour are equivalent to 1 tsp of cornstarch. If you are using sugar then mix it with flour while tossing the apples.
In case you choose nectar or any other sweetener then first toss the apples with wheat flour then move into the sweetener part. You can use apple pie filling with flour instead of cornstarch.
#2. Instant Mixing Flour
Baking with wheat flour can be tiring as it takes a lot of time to get thick.
But do not worry, in today’s time every problem has solutions. Here comes instant mixing flour, as the name suggests it quickly fixes this thickening issue.
As this is like a precooked powder once you add it to your mixture it will start showing its’ magic instantly.
With this not only did the dessert got made in time but also the overcooking part can be avoided.
#3. Some other scratches
For your perfect apple pie you can try using many other types of flour as an alternative or as a substitute for cornstarch.
Tapioca Flour can be your choice for making this dish. But it often increases the calorie percentage in a pie.
One of the best choices will be using rice starch, this can help you get that silky smooth texture in your pie. You can also use your arrowroot powder. It is almost the same as cornstarch.
#4. Pre-cooked Filling
If you are in a lazy mood but still want to have the yummy apple pie then there is no better choice than pre-cooked filling. Just make sure you follow all the instructions mentioned in the packet.
Now that we are well aware of all the substitutes, it is time we learn how to bake the pie filling with brown sugar.
Apple Pie Filling Recipe With Brown Sugar
I love making this pie, especially during holidays, children love this dessert so much. As we are only focusing on the apple pie filling recipe here, I am only going to share the simple ingredients which I use to make the crust.
So, for making the flaky pie crust you only need 4 ingredients. All-purpose flour, Brown sugar, cold unsalted butter, and Ice water. Now here comes the reason why I prefer brown sugar in my pie, it is because it adds extra moisture to the pie texture.
This also gives a nice darker shade of color to your pie. Brown sugar has some other benefits as well. I use brown sugar both for the crust and filling.
Let’s check what ingredients we will be requiring to bake the Apple Pie Filling with Brown Sugar Recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 (9″) pie crusts
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 7 large Granny Smith apples Peeled, cored, and sliced into ½-inch slices
- ½ cup light brown sugar loosely packed
- 2 tablespoons sanding sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 1 large egg lightly beaten in a small bowl for egg wash
Once you are ready with all the ingredients in hand. It is time for us to check out how we can bake the apple pie filling.
There are several alternatives for making pie filling like the famous American apple pie filling. I call this recipe an easy apple pie filling. Let’s check out how to make it.
Process
Follow the simple instructions to have a sweet flavourful pie on your plate.
#Step 1. First, get your flaky pie crust ready. You are going to need 2(9″) pie crusts for baking the dish. One for the bottom and the other one for the top.
If you do not wanna invest much time into the dish you can buy pie crust from the store and follow the instructions, mentioned in the packet.
#Step 2. Preheat your oven with the rack at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, you gotta start prepping for the filling.
#Step 3. Take a bowl for the apple filling. Now in that bowl add sliced pieces of apples, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon powder, lemon zest, and juice along with a pinch of nutmeg for that extra push of flavor.
#Step 4. Toss your apple pieces well to coat the dry mixture evenly into your apple pieces.
#Step 5. Take your pie crust out from the refrigerator. You gotta let it rest at normal room temperature for at least 15 mins.
Now on the lightly floured surface, roll one disc into a 12″ circle that is ⅛” thick. Carefully lay the crust into the bottom of a deep dish pie plate.
#Step 6. It’s time you start filling the pie. So for that take a spoon and then place the apple filling over the bottom crust. We need to discard the juices at the bottom of the bowl.
#Step 7. Time for you to roll out the second disk of pie crust. This should be around ⅛ inch thick. Then lay it over the apple filling.
#Step 8. Take your sharp knife out then start trimming the dough along the outside edge of the pie plate that you are using.
Next, lift the edges where two of your pie crust are meeting, and give a gentle press to seal and fold them under. Keep rotating the pie plate and repeat the same process till the edges are neatly tucked under.
#Step 9. Make 4 slits on top of the dough for the steam to vent, next place the pie on the baking sheet.
#Step 10. Brush the surface of the pie crust with egg wash and sprinkle the sanding sugar on top of it. Cover the edges of your pie with the pie shield.
Or you may also use foil because we do not want our pie to get over-browned during the first 25 minutes of baking.
#Step 11. At 400 degrees Fahrenheit, bake your apple pie for about 25 minutes.
Remove the shield after that and further bake it at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 35 minutes. You gotta bake till you see that golden brown color on top of your pie.
#Step 12. Let your pie cool at room temperature before you cut and serve it on plates.
A minimum of 3 hours of cooling is required before serving. As they say the more you wait the sweeter the dessert.
So, this is how you bake an apple pie filled with brown sugar. This recipe is not only easy to bake but also extremely rich in taste.
While baking Apple Pie Filling with Brown Sugar Recipe there are some things that you should keep in mind.
Like the use of butter or temperature. A little up-down in temperature can potentially ruin the texture of your pie. So, while baking, be patient.
Keep baking, I can assure you the result will bring a smile to your face. The sweet dish is all you need after a hectic day, so it’s worth a shot.
FAQ
How do you keep the bottom crust of apple pie from getting soggy?
There is one thing that none likes and that is a soggy pie. So, to avoid that you gotta keep a few things in mind. Like choosing the correct rack in the oven.
Another thing you can try to prevent sogginess is coating the surface of the bottom crust. You can also use a cookie sheet or make a thicker crust to prevent all this.
Can I use any apples for apple pie?
The answer is yes and no meaning the fresher and better apple you use in a pie the tastier your pie gets.
I prefer using granny smith, Jonathan, gala, or golden delicious apples for my filling. It immediately lifts the taste of pie further.
Can I cook this recipe for Apple Pie Filling on the Stove Top?
Yes, yes, yes!!! There are no absolute restrictions when it comes to apple pie’s filling baking. Just use a large pot, gather all the ingredients in it and cook that in slow heat. You need to cook till the apple gets slurry and thick.
Why do you add lemon juice to apple pie filling?
The additional touch of lemon makes a pie perfectly balanced in taste. The lemon juice helps in enhancing all the flavors present in the pie further.
Lemon juice is suitable for preparing any fruit-related recipe as it works as a catalyst in bringing up the taste.
Is it better to cook apple pie filling first?
I believe precooking the filling beforehand is a good choice. In this way, you can avoid the chances of your apples getting undercooked. So, for that perfect pie, cook the filling beforehand.