Desserts
Apple Pie
Prep
15 minutes
Cook
40 to 50 minutes
Soft, airy, and built from almost nothing, this apple pie delivers more than its short ingredient list suggests. The crumb is light, the apple stays tender, and the top catches just enough color to look like you tried.
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar
- 1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar, for slaking
- ~500 g tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- 1Heat the oven to 350F (175C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the base with parchment.
- 2Dissolve the baking soda in the white vinegar and set aside — it will fizz briefly.
- 3Beat the eggs with the sugar until pale and thick, about 3-4 minutes.
- 4Stir in the flour until just combined, then add the slaked baking soda and stir once more.
- 5Fold in the sliced apples until evenly distributed.
- 6Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- 7Bake for 40-50 minutes, until golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- 8Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Best Served With
Whipped sour cream
Cook's Note
Dissolve the baking soda in 1 teaspoon of white vinegar and let it fizz before adding it to the batter, this activates it cleanly and keeps the crumb lighter than baking powder would.
Why This Recipe Works
Beating the eggs with the sugar until pale and thick gives the batter its lift, there is no butter here, so the eggs do all the work. Tart apples add moisture and acidity without weighing the crumb down, and keep the sweetness from reading as flat.
Make It Yours
Add cinnamon, cardamom, or vanilla to the batter for a warmer note. Swap white vinegar for apple cider vinegar when slaking for a slightly fruitier edge. Fold in a handful of raisins or chopped walnuts with the apples. Finish with lemon zest for a brighter edge.