Paper Bag Apple Pie

 

With apple picking season just around the corner we've made Dulce de leche candied apples and Buttered Mulled Apple Cider, but I've been meaning to share for the longest time this particular way of baking an apple pie. One that involves wrapping it in brown paper to bake... the paper bag apple pie. Inspired by the Elegant Farmer's cookie crust and using my 1920's recipe with caramel baked right in, here's how this one was baked over the weekend:



Mounding the apple pie filling nice and high.

Next comes the sugar cookie dough on over top to form the top crust. Sliding everything into the paper bag for baking.

The paper bag apple pie right out of the oven.

Slice of Paper Bag Caramel Apple Pie à la mode.

The Recipe:
8 large tart baking apples
Your favorite pastry for 1 pie crust (the bottom)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoon tapioca flour
1/2 white sugar
2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ginger powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar firmly packed
(the last two ingredients are reserved for use to create the caramel sauce at the bottom of the pie)

Sugar cookie Top Crust:
This easy recipe works great.

1) After pressing your pie crust in place into the pie pan (or using  a pre-made pie crust), take the butter and evenly spread over the bottom of the crust. Then top with brown sugar. Chill.

2) In a bowl combine all of the above ingredients and mix the apples well to coat.

3) Also mix up your sugar cookie dough (see this easy recipe here) and form into 2 squares. Chill until the dough is very stiff.

4) Pour apple mixture into pie crust and really mound it up in the center. Take the two squares of sugar cookie dough and mold them on each side of the apple filling mound. Don't worry if there are holes are gaps, as the pie bakes the cookie dough will expands to fully cover the pie.

5) Taking a paper bag (free from ink) or brown baking paper place the pie inside and close the bag or edges to wrap the pie inside. I like to fold my own bags (see the tutorial here) to be sure there is no glue or ink fumes potentially being released into the baking pie. Then pop it into a preheated 450º f oven for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350º f for an additional 45 to 50 minutes.

When I first made one a couple years ago the first thing that popped into my mind was what if the paper bag would prevent the pie crusts from browning. Did it need a hole in the top? But no, the apples steam inside, intensely infusing everything with their flavor and the crusts turn a lovely golden color without burning. Plus it catches spills and popping oil. Popular since the turn of the century before last this method of baking works great only almost any fruit pie with a top crust. Sort of gift wrapping a pie to bake! Makes it perfect for here. Happy baking and Autumn apple picking everyone.

Image: mam for Gave That