Sourdough Apple Pie with Sourdough Pastry
If life gives you apples, you make apple pie of course! An apple pie where the base is the most deliciously flaky pastry, using discard sourdough starter.
About this pie
The pastry base in this apple pie is my sourdough pie dough. It’s a recipe for a double pie crust that uses a sourdough discard starter. The starter brings a bit of acidity to tenderise the pastry, and I give it overnight ferment which gives it even more flavour and helps break down the starches for a beautifully crisp, layered crust. See how to make your own sourdough starter here
The best apples to use
I like a mixture of both sweet and tart apples in apple pie to give contrasting flavours. My favourite apple though is the Granny Smith apple. It is crisp and tart and it retains its shape well when baked for a long period of time. If you can’t source these apples they can be substituted for another crisp apple such as Pink Lady or Braeburn.
The apples are cut into slices around 4mm (just under a 1/4 inch.) Not too thin or they’ll cook too quickly. Try and cut the apples as evenly as you can to ensure even cooking throughout.
Baker’s Schedule
This schedule is very flexible and easy to adjust around your day. The pastry benefits from resting overnight, so you can make it well in advance and bake the pie whenever it suits you
Day 1
- Make the sourdough pastry and let it chill overnight.
Day 2
- Prepare the apple filling.
- Roll out the pastry and assemble the pie.
- Bake the pie.
- Cool at room temperature for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Method
- Begin with the pastry so it has time to chill. Cut cold butter into flour until it looks like chunky breadcrumbs.
- Whisk together cold water and sourdough discard starter.
- Pour this into the flour and butter mixture and combine into a rough dough.
- Roll into a rectangle.
- Fold into thirds, then turn 90 degrees.
- Roll and fold again, then cut into 2 pieces and chill them in the fridge.
- Once chilled, roll one half into a circle and drape into a 9-inch pie dish, cutting off some of the excess but leaving an overhang. Chill it again in the fridge.
- Slice the apples and toss them in a bowl with sugar and lemon.
- Let them sit for 30-40 minutes to release their juices. Collect the juices in a saucepan.
- Simmer the juices into a syrup and pour over the apples along with flour and spices.
- Pile the apples high into the prepared pie pan.
- Cut the second piece of pie dough into strips.
- Place these as a lattice top over the apples. Brush with egg wash, a sprinkle of coarse sugar and bake.
Tips for the best apple pie
- Chill the pastry well: Cold pastry is key for a flaky crust. Make sure the butter stays firm right up until baking. Rest the dough overnight in the fridge to let the sourdough do its work and to relax the gluten. If your kitchen is warm, chill the rolled-out pastry again before adding the filling.
- Reduce the apple juices: After tossing the sliced apples with sugar and lemon, let them sit to release their juices. Collect that liquid and simmer it into a syrup before mixing it back in with the apples. This step deepens the flavor and prevents the filling from turning runny.
- Bake hot for a flaky crust: Start the pie in a hot oven. The quick burst of heat melts the butter in the layers of pastry, creating steam that lifts and separates them for a light, crisp crust. Once the crust has set and started to brown, you can lower the temperature so the apples cook through evenly.
More sourdough discard recipes to try
Apple Pie with Sourdough Pastry
Sweet spiced apples encased in buttery sourdough pastry.
Ingredients
Sourdough Pastry
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 225 g butter cold
- 100 g discard sourdough starter
- 60 g iced water more as needed
Apple Filling
- 1.4 kg apples
- 100 g soft brown sugar
- ½ Tablespoon lemon juice
- 20 g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
- ½ Tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tbsp water
- Turbinado sugar for topping optional
Instructions
Sourdough pastry
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut the cold butter into the flour until it looks like chunky breadcrumbs with some pea size pieces of butter still visible. 250 g all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 225 g butter cold
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard starter and cold water. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the starter mixture. Use a fork to start bringing it together, then switch to your hands and gently press until a rough dough forms. It should hold together easily when pressed but not feel sticky or wet. Add any extra water slowly, a teaspoon at a time and only if needed. If it's too wet, add a tablespoon of flour as needed. 100 g discard sourdough starter, 60 g iced water
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a rough rectangle. Fold it into thirds like a letter, rotate it 90 degrees, and repeat the roll and fold one more time. This quick lamination helps create flaky layers. Cut the dough in half, shape each piece into a disc, wrap, and chill in the fridge overnight.
Apple pie
- Peel, core, and slice the apples into 4mm (just under a 1/4 inch) slices and place them in a large bowl. Add the brown sugar and lemon juice. Toss to combine and let the apples sit for 30 to 40 minutes to release their juices. 1.4 kg apples, 100 g soft brown sugar, ½ Tablespoon lemon juice
- Pour the collected juices into a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat for a few minutes until reduced by around half. Don’t let it reduce too far or it will get too sticky to pour. Pour this syrup back over the apples, along with the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon zest, vanilla and salt. Stir to coat evenly. 20 g all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract, ½ Tablespoon lemon zest, 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/2 tsp salt
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F).
- On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc of chilled pastry into a circle slightly larger than a 23 cm (9 inch) pie dish. Line the dish with the pastry, leaving some overhang, and chill it in the fridge while you roll the top.
- Roll the second disc into a 30cm circle. Cut strips for a lattice or leave it whole for a full top crust. Chill the rolled pastry until ready to use.
- Spoon all the apples into the prepared pie base,
- If making a lattice, weave the strips over the pie. For a full top, drape it over and cut two small slits for steam to escape. Trim and fold the edges, then crimp with your fingers or a fork.
- Whisk the egg and water together for the egg wash then brush the top of the pie with it and sprinkle with sugar.1 large egg, 1 Tbsp water, Turbinado sugar for topping
- Bake the pie for 15 minutes at this temperature to set the pastry. Lower the oven to 180°C (350°F) and bake for a further 50-60 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling bubbles through. If the top of the pie is browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
Notes
Both metric and US customary measurements are provided. Use the toggle on the recipe card to switch between the two.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 356kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 2gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 235mgFiber: 3gSugar: 25g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Thank you for a nice recipe. I added lime instead of lemon it was delicious! The egg wash on the pastry is a good idea.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
i made this yesterday and it was delicious.
Your instructions call for vanilla but it’s not listed in the ingredients so I forgot to add it. It’s baking now and smells delicious, hoping it doesn’t make too much of a difference.
I apologise for missing it! Thanks for letting me know! Luckily it’s not a must-have and the pie will still be good without it!
Waiting for first bite! Filling tastes heavenly and sourdough crust looks so inviting!
Thank you for your lovely comment! Hope you love the finished pie!
Oh my goodness!! It tastes marvelous. The crust is perfect with great mouth feel. I’ll never hesitate to make pie crust from scratch again!!