Give Dutch Apple Pie Crust A Beautifully Chewy Texture With Brown Sugar

Looking for a way to elevate your classic apple pie? Try making it Dutch style for a delicious take on an American classic. Tasting Table recipe developer Eric Ngo's Dutch apple pie with a sugar cookie crust takes the flavors of apple pie to the next level with the addition of a sugar cookie crust — but not just any sugar cookie crust. This crust includes brown sugar, which helps create a delicious, chewy texture in the crust that juxtaposes the softened, cooked apples perfectly.

Brown sugar, unlike regular sugar, has molasses to give it a brown color and its signature sweetness. It is this molasses that provides an added moisture while cooking that helps prevent your crust from drying out and imparts chewiness. Brown sugar also helps gluten form quicker, which keeps your dough from spreading out too much and gives it a thicker texture. The final result is a soft, chewy crust that is reminiscent of your grandma's freshly baked cookies. It's like combining two desserts into one.

Ngo offers several key tips for baking your Dutch apple pie crust to achieve not only a wonderful texture but a beautiful look as well. The pie pan is lined with parchment paper before adding the dough. This ensures your crust stays smooth, and is easily removed from the pan after baking. Parchment paper also keeps liquids from evaporating as you cook, helping ensure your pie crust stays chewy and moist throughout. Additionally, it helps your crust bake evenly by preventing it from browning too much.

After baking, your Dutch apple pie will need to rest and cool for three hours. This may seem like a long time, but the cooling stage is a very important part of the cooking process. Letting the pie cool is what allows your filling to set. For this recipe, this step is extra important given the height of the pie. You want to ensure that you won't lose all your filling from just one slice. Giving the pie a chance to rest also allows the flavors to continue to meld together, making for a more flavorful pie.