Some of the most talented bakers I have ever met work at King Arthur. They have tips for making round cookie dough logs AND Pie Crust Recipe for People Afraid of Pie Crust. But sometimes, the best advice comes from you, our readers.
Such is the case with this ingenious (and very unconventional) apple pie trick: baking the pie in a brown paper bag.
I first came across this tip when I came across our streusel topping recipe Paper bag Apple piewhich credits reader Kathleen Johnstone. Its benefits are multiple: the steam trapped in the bag helps to cook the apples perfectly for a soft but tart filling (no soft fruit here); the crust remains insulated from direct heat, so you can bake the pie long enough for the filling to harden without worrying about over-browning; and the bag itself contains all the crumbs and sticky bits, so cleaning is a breeze.
Do you have your doubts? So did King Arthur's longtime baker, PJ Hamel, to whose mailbox Kathleen's email was originally sent. “I was skeptical,” she recalls. “Wouldn't the bag burn?” What difference would it really make?” But then she made the pie. “There was just one difference that I couldn't quite pinpoint: There was no hardness to the crust and the streusel was nicely crunchy without being dry. And yes, the bag contained the mess.”
Baker and cookbook author Tara Jensen is also a fan of this method, for one particular reason: “The pie crust and filling were similar to my regular pies, but what was definitely noticeable was the transformation of the topping of streusel – it was closer to the surface of a crème brûlée.” That's because, as she explains, “This method works so well to trap the moisture that evaporates from the baking pie and keeps it close to the sugary surface. The extra water interacting with the dissolved sugars means better sharpness during roasting.”
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
Paper bag apple pie has a long history: it can be traced back to an Amish cookbook called, appropriately, The ABCs of Paper Bag Cooking. It later gained popularity, especially in Wisconsin, through a dairy farm and bakery named after it Elegant Farmer in Mukwonago, Wisconsin (which actually trademarked the term “Baked Apple Pancakes in a Paper Bag”).
For all its effectiveness, the method is straightforward – once you've assembled the pie and are ready to bake, pop it into a large brown paper bag. (We suggest one without ink.) Secure the bag tightly; paper clips or uncoated paper clips work well. Place the pie in its bag on a baking sheet, which will make handling easier. Then put it in the oven and bake.
No paper bags? If you're nervous about baking in a paper bag, or simply don't have access to one, you can repeat this method with parchment paper. Simply tie two pieces together to create a bag and use a pie pan with a narrow rim rather than a wide one so it fits in your parchment paper pan.
You can try this method with other fruit pies that call for a streusel topping, like this one Streusel Plum Pie or this Cherry, almond and pear pie. You'll be rewarded with a well-cooked filling and crispy top, like crème brûlée. But as Tara points out, that's not the only reason to break out your bags. “Beyond the chemical reactions the bag facilitates, it's just fun and joyful!”
Learn more essential tips and techniques for the best pie in our guide How to bake a pie.
Cover photo and food styling by Liz Neily.
