Skip to main content
Epicurious
Cookbooks

Apple Pie Filling

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes about 400 g (1 3/4 cups)

Ingredients

1 lemon
300 g Granny Smith apples (2 medium)
14 g butter (1 tablespoon)
150 g light brown sugar (2/3 cup tightly packed)
1 g ground cinnamon (1/2 teaspoon)
1 g kosher salt (1/4 teaspoon)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Fill a medium bowl halfway with cold tap water. Juice the lemon into it. Fish out and discard any seeds. You will use this lemon water to keep your apple pieces looking fresh and pert.

    Step 2

    Peel the apples, then halve and quarter them. Put each apple quarter on its side and cut a small slice down the length of the apple to remove the seeds and core. Cut each apple quarter lengthwise into thirds and then crosswise into fourths, leaving you with 12 small pieces from every apple quarter. Transfer these pieces to the lemon water as you go.

    Step 3

    When you’re ready to cook, drain the apples (discard the lemon water) and combine them in a medium pot with the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat, using a spoon to gently stir the mixture as it heats up and the apples begin to release liquid. Reduce the heat and simmer the apples gently for 3 to 5 minutes. Be careful not to cook the apples so much that they turn into applesauce.

    Step 4

    Transfer to a container and put in the fridge to cool down. Once completely cooled, the filling can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week; do not freeze.

Reprinted with permission from Momofuku Milk Bar by Christina Tosi with Courtney McBroom. Copyright © 2011 by MomoMilk, LLC. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Christina Tosi is the chef and owner of Momofuku Milk Bar, called "one of the most exciting bakeries in the country" by Bon Appètit. As founder of the desserts programs at Momofuku, including Noodle Bar, Ssäat;m Bar, Ko and Má Pêche, Christina was most recently shortlisted for a James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef Award. Christina and her confections have appeared on The Martha Stewart Show and Live! with Regis and Kelly, among others. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her three dogs and eats an unconscionable amount of raw cookie dough every day.
TagsPieDessertLemonCitrusFruitAppleCinnamonHerbs & SpicesGluten FreeNut FreeMake AheadSimmerThanksgivingCookbooks
Read More
Caramelized Onion Pasta
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
The Only Frittata Recipe You’ll Ever Need
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
One-Pot Chicken Thighs With Cilantro Rice and Beans
This one-pot dinner cooks chicken thighs directly on top of a bed of flavorful cilantro rice studded with black beans for a complete dinner.
29 Ricotta Recipes for Dinner, Dessert, and More
Put that half-full tub to use with recipes that go beyond the Italian American classics.
31 Cashew Recipes That Go Beyond the Snack Bowl
Like Sri Lankan cashew curry and vegan stuffed shells.
Fudgy Chocolate Bundt Cake
Glossy, intensely chocolaty, and spiked with coffee and sour cream, this Bundt is the ultimate all-purpose dessert.
13 Types of Nuts and How to Cook With Them
Filberts, goobers, scaly bark nuts: Explore the world beyond almonds in this guide.
Classic French Vinaigrette
Use this simple vinaigrette to dress a plate of greens, some steamed potatoes, or anything else that strikes your fancy.