Winter Apple Pie with Spiced Meringue and Caramelized Pears - photo 1
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Winter Apple Pie with Spiced Meringue and Caramelized Pears

Desserts Cakes and Bakes 90 min Medium 3 wyświetleń ~49.12 PLN - (0)
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Description

A traditional winter apple pie on a crumbly crust with aromatic filling of apples and caramelized pears, topped with a fluffy, slightly crunchy meringue with a hint of spice. This cake combines the classic Polish taste of apple pie with the warm spices of winter — cinnamon and nutmeg — and juicy, caramelized pears that add elegance and moisture. Perfect for January afternoons with tea or as a dessert for family gatherings. It looks impressive: a golden crumbly base, dark brown spots of caramelized fruit, and a white fluffy meringue on top, slightly scorched at the edges. Serve it still slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of sour cream to balance the sweetness.

Ingredients (13)

Servings:
8
  • Wheat flour 300 g
  • Butter 230 g
  • sugar 410 g
  • Egg 4 szt.
  • Apples 800 g
  • Pears 300 g
  • Lemon juice 15 ml
  • Cornstarch 20 g
  • Breadcrumbs 30 g
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Ground cinnamon 5 g
  • Salt 0.1 szczypt
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Vanilla extract 1 łyżeczka
  • Ground nutmeg 1 łyżeczka
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~49.12 PLN (6.14 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Shortcrust pastry

1

Prepare the ingredients for the shortcrust pastry: sift 300 g of flour into a large bowl, add 3 g of salt and 80 g of sugar (from the total amount). Cut 230 g of cold butter into small pieces (about 1 cm). Add the butter to the flour and quickly rub it in with your fingers or use a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (size of semolina to peas). Make a well, crack in one whole egg (60 g) and quickly knead by hand or with a spatula just until the ingredients come together; the dough should hold together but not be sticky. If it is too dry, add 10–15 ml of cold water. Form into a flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes - the dough will firm up, making it easier to roll out.

Ingredients: Wheat flour, Salt, sugar, Butter, Egg
Use a knife to cut the butter or a special pastry cutter. The best environment is a cold kitchen — chilled ingredients ensure flakiness. Do not knead for too long (max 2 min when combining), to avoid making the dough elastic.

Filling

2

Prepare the fruit: peel and remove the cores from 800 g of apples, then slice them thinly (about 3–4 mm). In a bowl, mix the apples with 15 ml of lemon juice, 100 g of sugar (from the total), 5 g of cinnamon, 20 g of cornstarch, and optionally 5 ml of vanilla extract and 1 g of nutmeg. Gently stir until the slices are evenly coated. The mixture should be slightly moist but not too wet — the starch should absorb the excess juice.

Ingredients: Apples, Lemon juice, sugar, Ground cinnamon, Cornstarch, Vanilla extract, Ground nutmeg
Use a sharp knife and a large cutting board. If the apples are very juicy, increase the starch to 25 g. Stir gently so the slices do not break apart.

Caramelized pears

3

In a medium-sized skillet, heat 30 g of butter over medium heat. Add 50 g of sugar and wait 1–2 minutes until the sugar starts to dissolve and takes on a light golden color (do not stir vigorously at first, just shake the skillet). Add 300 g of chopped pears and sauté for 3–5 minutes until the pears soften and the sugar forms a thick syrup. Remove from heat and let cool. The caramelized pears should be soft, shiny, and coated in thick caramel.

Ingredients: Pears, Butter, sugar
Use a heavy-bottomed pan (diameter 24–26 cm). Be careful when caramelizing — the sugar can burn quickly. If it starts to burn too much, remove from heat and add a tablespoon of butter, stirring.

Preparing the pan and the raw base

4

Preheat the oven to 180°C (top and bottom, no fan). Take the chilled dough out of the fridge and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 3–4 mm, enough to line a 24 cm diameter springform pan, including the edges. Gently transfer the dough to the greased pan, fit it to the edges, and trim the excess. Evenly sprinkle the bottom with 30 g of breadcrumbs, which will absorb the excess juice.

Ingredients: Breadcrumbs, Wheat flour
It's best to roll out between two sheets of baking paper — it makes transferring easier. If the dough cracks, pinch the edges with your fingers and chill for 10 minutes before baking. A 24 cm pan provides a deep base for the filling.

Assembling the cake

5

On the prepared raw crust, evenly arrange the prepared apple slices, first in a thin layer, and then add more layers slightly overlapping until the filling is used up. Mix in the caramelized pears between the layers — spread them evenly on top of the apples. The filling should reach the height of the edges of the crust, leaving a 1 cm free edge.

Ingredients: Apples, Pears
Use a spoon with a large bowl to arrange the fruit, so the slices don't get crushed. Make sure there are no large puddles of juice — if the juice is excessive, drain some off.

Pre-baking the crust

6

Place the dish with the filling in the preheated oven at 180°C and bake for 25 minutes, until the edges of the crust start to brown and the filling is gently bubbling. The bottom should be stable, but not necessarily fully baked — we will finish baking after adding the meringue.

Use the middle rack of the oven. If the top edges of the cake brown too quickly, cover the edges with aluminum foil.

Preparing the meringue

7

Separate the egg whites from the yolks: from the remaining eggs (180 g of egg whites — 3 egg whites), beat them in a clean, dry bowl with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (about 2–3 minutes). Gradually add 180 g of sugar (the rest from the total) 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition, until the egg whites are glossy and form stiff, shiny peaks (about 6–8 minutes). If you are using vanilla, add 2 ml of extract now. The meringue is ready when the mixture does not slide out when the bowl is turned upside down.

Ingredients: Egg, sugar, Vanilla extract
Make sure the bowl and beaters are completely dry and free from grease; even a little bit of yolk will prevent the meringue from whipping. Use a metal or glass bowl, not plastic.

Finishing the meringue and final baking

8

Remove the cake from the oven after the initial 25 minutes of baking. Spread the whipped meringue evenly over the hot filling (use a spoon or spatula), forming gentle waves. Place the dish back in the oven and reduce the temperature to 160°C. Bake for another 18–22 minutes, until the meringue is lightly browned at the tips and feels dry to the touch. The filling should still be gently bubbling inside.

Ingredients: sugar, Egg
Watch the meringue after 15 minutes — if it starts to brown too quickly, lower the temperature by 10°C. The meringue is ready when the outside is dry, but the inside is still soft.

Cooling and Serving

9

After baking, turn off the oven and leave the door ajar for 5 minutes, then remove the pan and set it on a rack to cool completely (at least 1 hour). Cooling allows the filling to thicken and makes slicing easier — the cake will cut cleanly when it has cooled down. Before serving, you can gently dust the top with cinnamon.

Do not try to cut the hot apple pie — the filling is liquid and will spill out. It is best to use a large, sharp knife with a smooth blade.

Decoration

10

Just before serving, decorate with slices of caramelized pears (if any are left), arranging them aesthetically on the pieces of cake. For contrast, serve a portion with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of sour cream. You can also lightly sprinkle the top with powdered sugar just before serving.

Ingredients: Pears, Vanilla extract
Additionally, you can add extra caramelized pears to each plate for visual effect. If you are using ice cream, serve it immediately after slicing the cake.

Fun Fact

💡

Apple pie is one of the most popular cakes in Poland — the name comes from the French word 'charlotte', but the Polish apple pie has developed its own style with a lot of apples and a crumbly base. Traditionally, apples for baking were added in January and February, when the fruits were well-stored and intense in flavor.

Best for

rodzinne spotkania w zimie świąteczne popołudnie z herbatą kolacja z przyjaciółmi

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. A scoop of vanilla ice cream, sour cream, or salted caramel pairs perfectly with the portion. When cutting, use a wide spatula to prevent the pieces from falling apart. For a decorative effect, arrange a few slices of caramelized pear and a thin ribbon of lemon zest.

🥡 Storage

Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days under a tight cover (the meringue may soften slightly). To refresh, heat a portion in the oven at 120°C for 6–8 minutes (uncovered), which will restore crispness and slightly warm the filling. Do not freeze the meringue — it loses its structure.

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