Lao Spices Apple Pie
Growing up in the Midwest, we had dozens of apple pies yet I always felt something was missing for my tastebuds. In Lao food, there’s a deep love for sour fruits like granny apples paired with a Lao style type of Tajin-esk sweet and savory powder that I call Lao Sweet Chili powder. I was so obsessed with this powder that I made it one of the three signature Lao Spices seasoning blends so it would be easy to access for all. It struck me that a granny apple pie would work with this and it still created that instant drool I always get from thinking about sour fruits with this powder. Add this to your Thanksgiving and it will be a delightful surprise with the pie tin empty in seconds.
PREPARING THE INGREDIENTS
Pies are usually intimidating because you’re figuring out how to bake while also trying to make the filling so these tips on how to prepare for the pie can save you a lot of headache. Before starting the recipe, measure out all the ingredients and peel the apples as that will save you time. Feel free to substitute a different sugar for the palm sugar and use what you have in your kitchen. For the pie crust, I bought a pre-made crust at my local Albertsons grocery store.
SERVING LAO SPICES APPLE PIE
Serve the pie while it is warm with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream. I love sprinkling the top of the ice cream with extra Lao Sweet Chili powder. The ice cream will melt fast so make sure everyone is ready for dessert before you start serving.
TIPS & TRICKS TO MAKE THE BEST LAO SPICES APPLE PIE
Palm sugar is common in Lao cooking, so it’s always around my kitchen. Palm sugar also doesn’t spike your blood sugar as fast as granulated sugar so you can consider it “healthier” although its still a sugar.
I forgot to bake the bottom layer of my crust so I had to scrape the apple filling out and then bake the pie. Baking the crust will make sure your pie is actually crusty and not soggy
Its just as important for the pie to look delicious as it is to be delicious so that means you want the crust to be bright and golden. Make sure to brush the top of the crust with the water egg mixture.
STORING AND REHEATING
This is the perfect pie to make a few days in advance especially if it is for Thanksgiving since you will be busy cooking all the other dishes. Once the pie cools, wrap it with suran wrap and place it in the fridge and it should be good for 7 days.
To reheat, place it in the oven at 350F for 150 minutes or microwave it for 1 to 2 minutes until warm.
MORE LAO RECIPES
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Lao Spices Apple Pie
Ingredients
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a small pan. Add flour and whisk until it forms a paste. Then add water and palm sugar. Cook on medium heat until the sugar melts completely. Remove from heat. It might appear clumpy, but it will mix well during baking.
- Pour the sugar mixture over the diced apples and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle Lao sweet chili powder over the mixture and mix again.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Place the first pie crust layer in a pie pan and bake for 10 minutes.
- Spread the apple mixture evenly into the pie pan and cover it with the second pie crust. Crimp the edges and make 4 slits in the middle.
- Whisk the egg and water together. Brush the egg mixture over the pie crust. Cover the edges of the pie with tin foil to prevent burning.
- Bake at 425°F (218°C) for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F (177°C) and bake for an additional 45 minutes.
