Apple Marzipan Pie

The marzipan disk that lines the bottom of the crust of this pie adds a wonderful element that’s often found in Scandinavian pastries. It also adds a protective layer that keeps the crust tender and prevents it from getting soggy. Click here for my Ultimate Pie Crust recipe. It’s absolutely the best.

I used to bake my apple pies with raw apples, but the results were unpredictable. Sometimes they were great, sometimes the apples were still hard. Sometimes the texture was perfect, sometimes the inside was runny. I experimented with different methods, and decided that the most dependable results came from precooking the apples before putting them in the crust. Do this and you’ll never end up with undercooked apples.

The cider intensifies the apple flavor. That’s a good thing, because more is more.

I love this pie.

Ingredients:

4 to 5 pounds assorted apples, peeled, cored, and sliced ¼ inch thick.

2 tablespoons (28g) lemon juice

¾ cup (149g) sugar

2 tablespoons Flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

⅛ teaspoon allspice

¼ cup (78g) boiled cider or undiluted apple juice concentrate

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 tablespoons (28g) butter, diced in small pieces

8 ounces almond paste, rolled out to a 9 inch circle

1 egg white, lightly beaten

 Method:

• Combine the sliced apples, the spices, and the lemon juice in a large mixing bowl and mix well to coat the apples in the spices.

• Melt a knob of butter in a large skillet. You want to use just enough to keep your apples from sticking to the pan and burning.

• Add apples to the pan and sauté them until tender, but not falling apart. You’ll probably need to do this in batches, because if you overcrowd the pan, they won’t cook properly. Put them all into a bowl and set it aside.

• In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Sprinkle the mixture over the apples, and stir to coat them evenly. Stir in the boiled cider (or apple juice concentrate) and the vanilla.

• Lightly butter a 9” pie plate that’s at least 2 inches deep.

• Roll the larger piece of pastry into a 13 inch circle. Transfer it to the prepared pan, and trim the edges so that they overlap the rim of the pan by an inch all the way around.

• Place the almond paste disc over the bottom surface.

• Spoon the apple filling into the pan. Dot the top with the diced butter.

• Roll out the remaining pastry to an 11 inch circle. Carefully place the pastry over the apples. Bring the overhanging bottom crust up and over the top crust, pinching to seal the two and making a decorative crimp. Prick the crust all over with a fork, to allow steam to escape. Or cut decorative vent holes, if desired. Alternatively, you can cut strips and weave a lattice.

• Beat the egg white with 1 tablespoon of cold water. Use a pastry brush to brush an even coat of the egg white all over the top surface of the pie. Sprinkle evenly with a tablespoon of turbinado sugar or pearl sugar. 

• Place the pie in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, while the oven preheats.

• Preheat the oven to 425°F.

• Adjust the oven rack to the lower middle position and place a heavy rimmed baking sheet, covered with parchment or foil, on the rack below it to capture drips.

• Place the pie on the rack. Bake the pie for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and bake for 40 minutes more, until you see the filling bubbling inside the pie (and perhaps dripping onto the parchment) and the crust is golden. Check the pie after half an hour of baking time, and cover the edges with foil or a pie shield to keep them from browning too quickly, if necessary. Ovens vary, so your baking time may vary a bit as well.

Cool the pie completely before slicing—really. Cutting any fruit pie that's still warm is a messy business. The filling continues to thicken as the pie cools, and if you cut it too soon it will run out all over the place. If you want to serve the pie warm, it's better to bake the pie in advance, cool it completely, then warm each slice as needed after it's been cut.

Store any leftover pie, lightly covered, at room temperature for several days. Freeze for longer storage.

Did you make it? Was it fabulous?