Brown Bag French Apple Pie
Submitted by woodpigeon
Brown bag French apple pie: a cinnamon-spiced apple pie with a buttery streusel top, baked inside a paper bag that traps steam for meltingly tender apples and a crisp, golden crumb. No top crust needed.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
25 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1 hrsYes, you really do bake this apple pie inside a brown paper bag, and that quirky old trick is the secret to its appeal. Sealed in the bag, the pie bakes in its own trapped steam and gentle heat, which cooks the apples until meltingly tender while keeping the streusel topping from scorching: no soggy bottom, no burnt edges.
French apple pie means a crumb topping instead of a top crust. Here, butter cut into flour and sugar forms a buttery streusel that bakes up crisp and golden over the spiced fruit.
The filling is classic: tart Granny Smith apples tossed with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and flour to thicken the juices so they set.
One word of caution echoed in the recipe: open that bag carefully, because a cloud of hot steam rushes out. Serve warm with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over the top.
Pro Tips
- Use a sturdy, food-safe paper bag big enough to hold the pie, set on a baking sheet to catch drips, and keep it from touching the oven walls or elements.
- Fold the open end under loosely so it stays closed but isn’t sealed airtight.
- Open the bag away from your face; the trapped steam escapes fast and is very hot.
- Use firm, tart apples like Granny Smith so they hold their shape instead of turning to sauce.
Variations
- Add chopped pecans or walnuts and a little brown sugar to the streusel.
- Use a mix of apple varieties for more complex flavor.
- Add a splash of caramel or a pinch of cardamom to the filling.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200℃).
PIE:
Combine the first measure of flour, salt and shortening using a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Stir in the water a little at a time, using a fork, and form the dough into a ball. Roll out the pastry dough on a lightly floured board. Roll to an 11inch or 12 inch diameter.
Fit into a 9 inch pie pan and flute the edges.
FILLING: Combine the sugar, the second measure of flour, the cinnamon, the nutmeg and the lemon juice in a large bowl. Toss the apple slices in the mixture.
Arrange the apple slices in the pie crust.
TOPPING:
Combine the sugar and flour in a bowl and cut in the butter using a pastry cutter.
Sprinkle the topping over the apple filling. Place the pie in the LARGE paper bag.
Place the paper bag on a baking sheet and loosely fold the open end of the bag under.
Bake until the apples are tender (50-60 minutes).
Carefully remove the pie from the bag - CAUTION: WATCH OUT FOR THE STEAM COMING OUT OF THE BAG!
Serve warm with generous portions of vanilla ice cream.
Comments
Can you freeze this pie either cooked or not cooked?
If you try to freeze it make sure it is cooked. If it's raw it will be much too soggy due to the liquid exuding from the apples when it ends up being thawed out.