9 Ways to Upgrade Apple Pie, According to Professional Chefs

Take a tip from the experts.

Apple pie is a classic autumnal dessert. It’s comforting, just sweet enough, crisp, soft, warm, and hits all the right notes.  And when making apple pie, the options are seemingly endless to riff on a traditional Old-Fashioned Apple Pie recipe. From the apples you use, to the way you prep the apples, to the add-ins or fun flavors that add a twist (cheddar cheese, anyone? Gorgonzola topping, perhaps?), the small tweaks you can make to upgrade or just switch up your apple pie are unending. Real Simple checked in with professional chefs and apple pie experts on how to easily upgrade your favorite apple pie recipe for a transcendent fall dessert.

Related: 12 Healthy Fall Recipes Packed With Key Nutrients

Macerate Your Apples

Macerating apples, or letting the fruit soak in sugar, is an easy and worthwhile way to infuse your pie filling with flavor. “Whenever I make apple pie, I'll toss the apples with the spices and sugar, then let them macerate for an hour or two before adding them to the pie shell,” says Chaya Rappoport, Culinary Manager of Jewish Food Society. “This does double duty: First, it allows the apples to shrink a bit as they lose some of their juice, which means there'll be less shrinkage—AKA less of a gap between crust and filling—when the pie bakes. Second, it yields a delicious, cider-like liquid that I reduce into a quick, spiced caramel to drizzle over the apples. It's my little trick for extra flavor and even better texture.”

Use a Mix of Apples

Instead of sticking to one type of apple, let various types of apples mingle in your pie. “A variety of apples balances the flavor profile,” says chef Gabriel Kreuther of the two-Michelin-starred Gabriel Kreuther Restaurant. “I like some sweet apples and some tart.” 

Chef Salvatore Martone, Corporate Pastry Chef of Le Jardinier New York City, agrees. “When I make an apple pie, I use three different varieties at the same time,” he says. “Granny Smith for a bit of sour flavor, Honeycrisp for the great texture, and Fuji for sweetness. The balance that these three varieties of apples bring to the filling makes for the perfect apple pie.”

Layer Your Apples

Pause before you pour your filling into the pie crust. “It's important to layer the apples inside the pie crust rather than dumping them in,” says Kreuther. “Layering them will lock them together more tightly, creating fewer air pockets, and will also prevent the dome from sagging.”

Upgrade With Sea Salt and Brown Butter

A few tweaks to any recipe can add major flavor. “Two ingredients can change an average apple pie into sweet nirvana: sea salt and brown butter,” says Michal Korkosz, author of the upcoming cookbook Polish’d. “When you season your crust with a fair amount of sea salt, its taste becomes so addictive and bright. Instead of cold butter carefully massaged into flour, I use brown butter, slowly cooked until nutty, fragrant, and amber in color. The crust will turn out more sandy, not flaky. It’s a delightful texture that melts in the mouth. Brown butter is a secret weapon of every pastry chef.”

Related: Does Flour Go Bad? Here's When You Should Replace Your Flour

Gently Spice Up Your Filling

Enhance the apple taste of your filling with a few extra ingredients that bring out all that apple flavor. “I don’t like to overshadow the apple taste, so I tend to use just a dash of good-quality cinnamon,” says Korkosz. “To enhance the sweet-sour experience, I use a lot of lemon. Cooking lemon zest on a bit of butter before adding the apples is a great way to build an extra layer of flavor. Don’t forget to squeeze in lemon juice!”

Check For Good Quality Apples

A less than stellar apple isn’t doing anything for your pie. While a good apple will result in a good pie, a great apple will ensure a great pie. “Always check your apple quality before you begin—cut off a slice to ensure you have a nice crunch and a firm texture. Anything too soft will lead to sogginess in the final pie,” says Anna McGorman, VP of Culinary at Milk Bar.

Keep Your Crust Crisp

There may be nothing more disappointing than cutting into a fresh apple pie and seeing the lower crust give out. Luckily, there’s an easy step to prevent that before you start baking. “To prevent the crust from getting soggy, I brush the inside of the dough with an egg wash,” Kreuther says. 

To do so, whisk an egg (or just egg white, if preferred) in a small bowl with a teaspoon of water and a pinch of salt. Use a pastry brush to coat the empty, unbaked crust. “This will help create a barrier between the juicy apples and the baked crust,” adds McGorman.

Strive For a Chilled Pie Dough

Keeping your pie dough cool will help it cook properly. “Always keep an eye on your kitchen's temperature,” says McGorman. “You can keep your fat (butter, lard, shortening, etc.) in the freezer and your mixing bowls or food processor parts in the fridge to help combat any ambient room heat. But if possible, don’t make your dough in a hot room, especially when the oven is on.” McGorman tries to do her dough making earlier in the morning or later at night the day before baking her pie to avoid lots of sunlight streaming into her kitchen. “This also gives the dough some real time to relax and chill out,” she says.

Related: 40 Easy Apple Recipes for Fall or Any Occasion

Be Creative!

“Don't be afraid to get a little weird and experiment,” says McGorman. “Make a Cheez-It streusel for the topping, try a scoop of almond butter in your filling, or drizzle a caramel creme anglaise over the top of your slice.” Apple pie is the perfect treat to riff off of and try alternative toppings, so get creative with your bake!

For more Real Simple news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Real Simple.