Polish Apple Pie (Szarlotka)

Szarlotka is a popular Polish apple pie with fragrant apple filling and a cookie-like dough that’s woven into a lattice.

It seems like every country in the world loves apple pie and has their own unique recipe. Who wouldn’t love the cinnamon-y sweet apple filling wrapped in flaky crust?

What is Szarlotka?

Szarlotka is a Polish apple pie with fragrant cooked apple compote filling, topped with a cookie-like dough that’s woven into a lattice. I just love the subtle cinnamon fragrance coming out the pie and the lattice look that pie presents.

The ingredients are simple and most of us have in our kitchen. All you need to get is perhaps some fresh apples. The crust dough is easy to make. Since it has a cookie-like texture, you start with a softened butter instead of cold butter that American style apple pie crust is made of.

Ingredients for Polish Apple Pie (Szarlotka)

• butter: use unsalted softened butter
• sugar
• egg
• vanilla extract
• sour cream: It makes the dough to be pliable and soft
• all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• salt
• apples: Use Granny Smith or any baking apples
• brown sugar
• cinnamon

How to make Polish Apple Pie

Step 1. Make the pie dough

1. Start with a softened butter.
2. Beat butter and sugar until creamy.
3. Add egg, vanilla, and sour cream. Sour cream will make the crust soft and cookie-like texture.
4. Sift in the dry ingredients and mix well
5. Turn the dough out onto a working space and form into a disk.
6. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Step 2. Apple Pie filling

1. Cook diced apple in a skillet until slightly soft.
2. Add brown sugar and cinnamon, and simmer until the apples are soft.
3. Mash the apples but leave some small chunks visible.

Step 3. Lattice work

1. Grease 9-inch springform pan or pie dish.
2. Use 2/3 of the dough and stretch with your hand. Press down onto the bottom of pan and 1-inch up to the side.
3. Fill in the apple filling.
4. Roll out the rest 1/3 of dough into 1/8-inch thickness and cut into 3/4-inch strips.
5. Create the lattice work using the strips.

Step 4. Bake the pie

Bake the pie at a preheated 350˚F oven for 45-50 minutes until the top is golden brown and crisp. Let the pie rest in the pan for 10 minutes on the cooling rack, then remove the rings on the side. Cool completely.

Serving and Storage Suggestion

Serve pie warn or cold with a vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Leftover can be kept in a room temperature up to 3 days or chill in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

Polish Apple Pie (Szarlotka) Recipe Video

Polish Apple Pie (Szarlotka)

Servings: 8 people

This Polish apple pie (szarlotka) is filled with fragrant apple filling and topped with a cookie-like dough pie crust that's woven into a lattice.

5 from 1 rating

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar, plus extra 1 tbsp for sprinkling
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• 2-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch salt
• 2 lb apples (Granny Smith), peel and diced into 1-inch chunks
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Equipment

• 9-inch springform pan

Instructions 

• To make the crust; cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla extract, and sour cream; mix well.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt and add to the butter mixture; mix well.
• Turn out the dough on to a working surface and form into a disk. Wrap the dough and chill for 30 minutes before using.
• To make the filling; cook the apples in a skillet over medium heat until somewhat soft, about 5 minutes. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Continue to simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the apples are soft. Mash the apples coarsely, leaving some small chunks visible. Let it cool slightly.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan or a pie dish. Cut out 1/3 of dough and keep it in the fridge. Stretch our the 2/3 of dough with your hand and press down on the bottom of pan and 1-inch up the side of pan as well.
• Put apple filling on the bottom crust and spread evenly.
• Roll our the remaining 1/3 of dough into 1/8-inch thickness, and cut into 3/4-inch strips. Use the dough strips to create the lattice work on top of apple filling. Using a fork, cramp the strips onto the bottom crust. Sprinkle a little extra sugar on top crust.
• Bake the pie in a preheated oven for 45-50 minutes. Let the pie rest in the pan for 10 minutes on the cooling rack, then remove the rings on the side. Cool completely.

Cuisine: Polish

Course: Dessert

Author: Holly Ford

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