Add this one ingredient to apple pie, say goodbye to soggy pie crust

Posie Harwood
Updated

I love apple pie. The classic dessert evokes fall in all the best ways, making me want to pull on a thick sweater and hike on trails softly packed with pine needles, my feet crunching on a carpet of fallen leaves.

I've spent the past week in Vermont. The trees are afire in shades of vermillion, russet red, crimson, and gold. At night, I walk home smelling wood smoke and cider. There's a little diner in town that sells slices of mile-high apple pie, and at lunchtime they can't plate it fast enough to satisfy the hungry crowds.

apple pie
apple pie

Photo by Posie Harwood

I don't believe in messing about apple pie. It's such a perfect combination: soft, cinnamon-y fruit nestled inside a buttery, flaky pie crust. But the challenging aspect of a fruit pie is preventing your bottom crust from getting soggy, and today's recipe solves the issue. As a serious devotee of almond paste, I often search for recipes on the almond paste jars, and came across this twist on an apple pie from Odense.

Photo by Posie Harwood

It's a classic double crust apple pie in every respect, with one update. After rolling out your bottom crust, you also roll out a thin layer of almond paste into a round disc. You press this disc into the pie plate on top of the bottom crust, pile the apple filling on top, and seal it all with the top crust.

apple pie
apple pie

Photo by Posie Harwood

The result is a wonderfully nutty, sugary surprise in each bite. The almond paste melts slightly into the crust, making a thick and buttery base that's tucked neatly under the fruit. It helps seal in the fruit juices and adds a fantastic flavor reminiscent of an almond croissant.

Try it this year instead of a basic apple pie recipe. It's wonderful, simple, and further improved by a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Almond Apple Pie

By Posie Harwood

  • 1 recipe for double pie crust (this is a good one!)

  • 3 pounds apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (about 6 cups)

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (I use Vietnamese cinnamon)

  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 7 ounces almond paste

  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted

  • milk + sugar, for the crust

View Full Recipe

Posie Harwood is a writer, photographer, and food stylist based in New York. You can read more of her writing here.

Have a twist on apple pie? Let us know in the comments below!

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