Chef notes
Individual apple pies topped with golden, flaky crust are the perfect finale for a cozy fall dinner. Store-bought puff pastry (all butter, please!) makes them easy; a boozy apple filling (we used bourbon, but another whiskey or even rum works, too) makes them totally decadent. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Technique tip: The apple filling can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator; bring to room temperature before using.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds apples (12 to 13 medium), preferably a combination of Granny Smith and Rome, peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1/3 cup bourbon
- 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 (14-ounce) package all-butter puff pastry, such as Dufour, thawed if frozen
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash
- vanilla ice cream, for serving
Preparation
1.Preheat oven to 375 F.
2.In a large bowl, toss together apples, sugar, lemon juice, salt and allspice.
3.In a large straight-sided skillet, melt 3 tablespoons butter over high heat. Add half of fruit mixture and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook until fruit is softened, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with remaining 3 tablespoons butter and remaining fruit mixture.
4.Return first batch of fruit mixture to pan. Slowly stir in bourbon (watch out for splatters). Add flour and cook, stirring, until fruit mixture thickens, about 1 minute.
5.Divide fruit mixture among six 8-ounce round baking dishes (each 5 inches in diameter). Place on a rimmed baking sheet to let cool completely.
6.On a lightly floured surface, roll out puff pastry to an 8- by 12-inch rectangle, about 1/8-inch-thick. Cut out six 4-inch squares and loosely place one over filling in each dish. Cut a vent in each top. Brush pastry with egg wash. Bake until fillings are bubbling and crusts are golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes before serving with ice cream.
Reprinted with permission from Martha Stewart's Fruit Desserts: 100+ Delicious Ways to Savor the Best of Every Season: A Baking Book. Copyright © 2021 by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, LP. All rights reserved. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
