I’m here to tell you this frosted apple slab pie is the one. I’m pretty sure this recipe has spoiled me for all others, it is that good!
The slab pie is baked in a rimmed baking sheet, which ends up being so much easier than a traditional round pie plate. No worries about getting perfectly crimped edges – the slab pie is supposed to be rustic (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!). No worries about trying to get slices out in one piece; this pie couldn’t be easier to portion and share. And maybe best of all, this slab pie serves a ton of people.
Most of the other doughs I’ve tried call for a mix of butter and shortening, but this is an all-butter recipe. I urge you to make it by hand instead of using your food processor so you can keep those big chunks of butter that ensure a flaky crust. It’s worth the few extra minutes!
If you’re a planner, this frosted apple slab pie is a good candidate to make ahead of time too. It’s just as good on day two or three, especially if you microwave the slices for about 15 seconds before serving. The glaze on top adds just a little bit of extra sweetness, but if you feel compelled to put a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on there as well I won’t judge.
By Tracey
Frosted Apple Slab Pie
crust from Smitten Kitchen, filling adapted from Better Homes & Gardens
Ingredients:
Crust
- 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 3/4 – 1 cup cold water
Filling
- 8 cups peeled, cored and thinly sliced Granny Smith apples (about 2 1/2 lb, 6 medium)
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup crushed cornflakes
heavy cream (for brushing the dough)
coarse sugar (for sprinkling)
Glaze
- 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon half-and-half
Directions:
To make the crust: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter cubes and toss to coat with the flour, then, using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the pieces of butter are about the size of peas. Add 3/4 cup of the water and stir until a rough dough starts to come together. If the dough is still too dry or crumbly to bring together, add the remaining 1/4 cup of water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough holds together. Use your hands to shape the dough into a ball, then divide it in half, making one piece just slightly larger than the other. Shape each piece of dough into a rectangle and then wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour (or up to 2 days).
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 15×10-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
To make the filling: Add the apples and lemon juice to a large bowl; toss to coat. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add to the bowl with the apples and toss to coat.
To assemble: On a lightly floured work surface, roll the larger of the two pieces of dough into an 18×13-inch rectangle (roughly, it doesn’t have to be perfect!) – lifting and turning as you go to make sure the dough isn’t sticking. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan (I like to roll it around my rolling pin), and very gently ease it down into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Trim the dough so it only overhangs the edges of the pan about 1/2 to 3/4-inch on all sides. Sprinkle the cornflakes evenly over the crust, then add the apples on top and spread them in an even layer.
Roll the second piece of dough into a rectangle that’s just slightly larger than your pan – again, flour your work surface and lift and turn the dough as you go to ensure it doesn’t stick. Gently move the dough (again, I like to roll it around my rolling pin) and cover the filling with it. Fold the edges of the bottom crust over the top piece of dough and seal them together with your fingers. Cut 1-inch slits over the surface of the dough so steam can escape.
(At this point, I refrigerated my pie for about 20-30 minutes just to ensure the dough was really cold when it hit the oven – if you work quickly this probably won’t be necessary, but I was stopping to take pictures.)
Brush the surface of the dough with heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar (this will promote browning of the crust). Bake the pie for about 50 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow to cool to room temperature.
To make the glaze: In a small bowl stir together the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and half-and-half. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled pie – allow to set for a few minutes then cut the pie into squares and serve.
