A Polish Apple Pie is commonly called “Szarlotka”—it’s a cozy, slightly rustic apple cake that’s less custardy than American apple pie and often has a buttery crumb or shortcrust base.
Here’s a simple traditional-style version:
🇵🇱 Polish Apple Pie (Szarlotka)
🍏 Ingredients
For the dough:
- 2½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
- ½ cup (115 g) cold butter, cubed
- 2–3 tbsp cold milk (if needed)
For the apple filling:
- 5–6 apples (tart ones like Granny Smith or local firm apples)
- 2–4 tbsp sugar (to taste)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Optional: pinch of nutmeg or vanilla
🍎 Instructions
1. Prepare the apples
- Peel, core, and slice apples.
- Cook them in a pan with sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice for 5–10 minutes until slightly softened.
- Let cool.
2. Make the dough
- Mix flour, baking powder, sugar.
- Cut in cold butter until crumbly.
- Add egg + yolk, knead lightly.
- Add a little milk if needed to bring it together.
- Chill for 20–30 minutes.
3. Assemble
- Divide dough in two.
- Press half into a baking dish as the base.
- Add cooled apple filling.
- Cover with remaining dough (rolled or crumbled on top).
4. Bake
- Bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 40–50 minutes, until golden.
5. Finish
- Let cool slightly.
- Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
🍽️ What makes it “Polish-style”?
Unlike classic apple pie, Szarlotka is:
- More “cake-like” or crumbly
- Often less juicy, more apple-forward
- Commonly served warm with tea or whipped cream
If you want, I can also show:
- A quick 10-minute version
- Or a crispy crumb-topping (kruszonka) version, which is very popular in Poland
