This gluten free apple slab pie, with the flakiest top and bottom crust, is packed with tender, sweet, and cinnamony apple chunks. Whether you're looking to feed a crowd, or you just want to make sure there are leftovers, this is the gf pie for you!
Course: Dessert, Pie
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 40 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 45 minutesminutes
Chilling and resting time: 1 hourhour30 minutesminutes
1 ¾teaspoonsxanthan gumomit if your blend already contains it
¾teaspoonbaking powder
1teaspoonkosher salt
15tablespoons(210g)unsalted butterchilled and grated
1 ¼cups(300g)sour creamchilled
Ice water by the teaspoonfulas necessary
Egg wash(1 egg + 1 tablespoon water or any kind of milk), beaten, for brushing
For the apple pie filling
12(4pounds)medium-sized firm applesabout 4 pounds, peeled, cored and chopped (See Recipe Notes)
½cup(72g)cornstarch
¾cup(164g)packed light brown sugar
1teaspoonkosher salt
1teaspoonground cinnamon
1cup(8fluid ounces)lukewarm water
For the glaze
½cup(58g)confectioners’ sugar
1teaspoonlukewarm waterplus more as necessary
Instructions
First, make the pie crust dough.
In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt, and whisk to combine well. Add the grated, chilled butter, and toss to coat it in the dry ingredients.
Add the sour cream, and mix to moisten the dry ingredients with the sour cream. The dough should be shaggy and somewhat crumbly.
Knead the dough together with clean hands until it begins to come together. Add ice water by the teaspoon only if necessary for the dough to hold together.
Divide the dough into two equal portions, turn each piece out onto a separate sheet of plastic wrap, and press into a disk as you close the plastic wrap around the dough. It will still seem rough.
Place the two pieces of dough in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
Prepare the chilled pie dough.
Once the dough has chilled, turn out one piece of it onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle the dough lightly with more flour, and roll it out with a rolling pin into a rectangle that is about 1 inch thick, moving the dough frequently and sprinkling it lightly with flour if it begins to stick.
Fold the dough over on itself like you would a business letter. Sprinkle the dough again lightly with flour, and roll out it out once again into a rectangle about 1 inch thick.
Once or twice more, sprinkle the dough lightly with flour, roll it out, and fold it over on itself like you would a business letter, then wrap it tightly and place it back in the refrigerator to chill for about 2 hours. Repeat with the other piece of dough.
This entire dough preparation can be done up to a week in advance, and stored in the refrigerator provided it is wrapped very tightly.
Make the filling.
When the dough is nearly chilled, make the filling. In a large, heavy-bottom saucepan, place all the filling ingredients and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples are just fork tender (7 to 10 minutes).
Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool to warm room temperature.
Prepare a 10- x 15- inch jelly roll pan. If your pan is nonstick, don’t oil it. If it isn’t spray it lightly with cooking oil spray and set it aside.
Prepare the bottom crust.
As the filling cools, remove one of the pieces of pie crust from the refrigerator. On a very lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into an 18 inch x 12-inch rectangle. It should be about 1/4-inch thick. Trim any especially jagged edges.
Fold the crust in half, and lift it carefully onto the prepared jelly roll pan in the proper orientation and into the edges of the pan.
Fold any slightly overhung edges under themselves to secure them. Brush the bottom of the crust lightly with the egg wash, and place it in the refrigerator to stay cold.
Preheat your oven to 375° F.
Prepare the top crust.
Remove the remaining disk of pie crust from the refrigerator, and turn it out onto a lightly floured flat surface. Roll the dough into a 12-inch x 15-inch rectangle. It should be about 1/4-inch thick. Trim any especially jagged edges.
Assemble the pie.
Pour the prepared filling on top of the crust, and spread out into an even layer. Lift the top crust onto the top of the pan, fold the top crust over the bottom, and crimp the edges together to seal them, using the knuckle of one hand and the fingertips of the other.
Using a sharp knife or pastry wheel, cut small vents all over on the top crust, slicing all the way through to the filling. Brush the top crust liberally with the egg wash.
Bake the pie
Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the glaze
When the pie is nearly cool, make the glaze by adding the water slowly to the confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl, stirring constantly until you have a very thick paste.
Add more water by the droplet until the glaze is thickly pourable.
Drizzle on top of the cooled pie and allow to set briefly before slicing and serving.
Notes
To choose the best apple varieties. A mixture of Granny Smith, yellow, and Macintosh or Empire apples works great.