Apple slab pie is the perfect dessert for a party! It’s a big apple pie baked on a large flat pan and cut into squares for easy serving. What could be better than this?
Ingredients
For the base:
3 ¾ cups (470 g) all-purpose flour
1 ½ tbsp sugar
1 ½ tsp table salt
3 sticks unsalted butter (12 oz / 340 g each), cut into small pieces and kept very cold
¾ cup very cold water
For the apple filling:
3 ½ to 4 pounds apples (about 10 cups), peeled, cored, and chopped into ½-inch pieces
Squeeze of lemon juice
⅔ to ¾ cup sugar (adjust depending on apple sweetness)
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground allspice
⅛ tsp salt
To finish:
2 tbsp heavy cream or 1 beaten egg mixed with 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Prepare the crust
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.
- Add cold butter pieces and coat them with flour. Using your fingers, knives, or a pastry blender, cut butter into flour until mixture looks crumbly with pea-sized pieces of butter.
- Add ½ cup of cold water and mix with a spatula until the dough begins to come together. Add more water, little by little, if still dry.
- Gather the dough with your hands into a soft, slightly loose ball.
- Divide into two portions, one slightly larger (for the bottom crust). Shape each into a 1-inch thick rectangle, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Prepare the apple filling
- In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice.
- In a separate bowl, mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt.
- Sprinkle mixture over apples, toss to coat, and set aside.
- Assemble the slab pie
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 10×15-inch (1-inch deep) baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out the larger dough piece into an 18×13-inch rectangle. Fit into the pan, pressing gently into corners. Chill while rolling out the smaller piece into a 16×11-inch rectangle.
- Pour apple mixture into the crust.
- Lay top crust over apples. Trim both crusts so they extend about ¾ inch beyond pan edges, then seal edges by pinching.
- Brush top with heavy cream or egg wash. Cut several 1-inch slits in the crust for steam to escape.
- Place pan on a larger baking tray to catch spills.
- Bake
Bake for 40–45 minutes, until crust is golden brown and filling bubbles through the slits.
Cool on a wire rack for at least 45 minutes before cutting into squares.
Serving Suggestion
Serve warm or at room temperature. Pairs beautifully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.