A Dutch apple pie is not a shallow tart. A proper appeltaart is tall and generous, with layers of softly baked apple held inside a buttery crust and finished with its familiar lattice top. Cinnamon gives the filling its warmth, while raisins are a traditional extra that you can include or leave out.
This is a from-scratch, home-style recipe. Serve the pie once it has cooled enough to hold a clean slice, either as it is or with a spoonful of lightly whipped cream.
Recipe at a glance
- Makes: 10-12 slices
- Preparation: 40 minutes
- Chilling: 1 hour
- Baking: 60-70 minutes
- Equipment: 24 cm springform tin
Ingredients
For the dough
- 350 g plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 175 g caster sugar
- 1 sachet vanilla sugar, about 8 g
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 200 g cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 large egg, beaten
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon cold water, only if needed
For the apple filling
- 1.2 kg firm, tart apples, such as Elstar, Jonagold or Granny Smith
- 50 g raisins, optional
- 50 g caster sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
Method
- Prepare the tin and raisins. Grease a 24 cm springform tin and line its base with baking paper. If using raisins, soak them in warm water for 15 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
- Make the dough. Mix the flour, baking powder, caster sugar, vanilla sugar and salt in a large bowl. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add about three quarters of the beaten egg and the lemon zest. Bring everything together quickly to form a dough. If it remains too crumbly, add the cold water a teaspoon at a time.
- Chill. Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap it and refrigerate for 1 hour. Chilling makes the rich dough easier to shape and helps it keep its structure in the oven.
- Make the filling. Peel and core the apples, then cut them into thin slices or small pieces. Toss with the raisins, sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice.
- Line the tin. Heat the oven to 175°C conventional or 160°C fan. Use about two thirds of the dough to cover the base and sides of the prepared tin. Press it evenly with your fingers or roll it between sheets of baking paper. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the base; they will absorb excess apple juice.
- Fill and finish. Spoon in the apple mixture and press it down gently. Roll or shape the remaining dough into strips and arrange them in a lattice over the apples. Brush the lattice with the reserved beaten egg.
- Bake. Bake slightly below the centre of the oven for 60-70 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and the apples are tender. If the top colours too quickly, cover it loosely with foil for the final part of baking.
- Cool before slicing. Leave the pie in its tin for at least 90 minutes. The filling sets as it cools, so cutting it too early will give you a delicious but untidy slice.
Shop the Pantry ingredients
The apples, butter and eggs are best bought fresh locally. Pantry can supply the small Dutch baking-cupboard ingredients that create the familiar flavour:
Tips for a good Dutch appeltaart
- Choose firm apples. A mixture of sweet and tart apples gives the filling more depth, but avoid varieties that collapse immediately when heated.
- Keep the dough cool. If it becomes soft while you are lining the tin, refrigerate it for 10-15 minutes before continuing.
- Do not skip the cooling time. A tall appeltaart needs time to settle before it can be cut neatly.
- Store it well. Once completely cool, cover the pie and keep it in the refrigerator for up to three days. Bring slices back to room temperature before serving.
Always check the product packaging for current ingredient and allergen information, especially when cooking for someone with dietary requirements.
```