Mom’s Secret for an Unforgettable Apple Pie Revealed!

A perfectly flaky crust, generously filled with super soft apples… That’s the formula for a flawlessly delicious homemade apple pie. Unfortunately, you might not have mastered this recipe yet. Your apples often end up drying out in the oven and they even seem to shrink a bit! Consequently, the pie lacks that deeply satisfying, indulgent taste. But don’t hang up your apron just yet: we’ve got a little trick that could change everything. It’s a secret passed down by our mothers!

“It rivals any apple pie from the finest restaurants!“, claims food influencer Léane about her mom’s baking. Her secret ingredient? A whole lot of love, she playfully reveals on Instagram. And it’s evident from her posts: the pie looks outrageously tempting! The filling is twice as abundant and the apples are incredibly tender. Interestingly, she doesn’t actually use more apples; in fact, there are slightly fewer…

To achieve this, Léane’s mom uses a cost-effective ingredient that’s usually on hand: a small jar of applesauce. She spreads it over the crust before layering on the apple slices. The steam from the applesauce ensures that the fruit stays hydrated during baking and guarantees that melt-in-your-mouth texture. She typically uses a standard apple applesauce, but feel free to mix it up according to your taste. For a tangy twist, try an apple-rhubarb blend, or for an added touch of richness, go for an apple-chestnut version. You’ll love the results!

Good to know: To prevent the applesauce from making the pie crust too soggy, there’s a simple solution: pre-bake the crust (“blind bake”) for about fifteen minutes at 350°F. After that, add your filling and continue baking for roughly 25 minutes, until the apples are golden and tender.