The Apple Advice You Can't Ignore For The Best Pie Ever

A perfectly baked apple pie can be a real showstopper at the Thanksgiving table, or any time during apple season. But the best pie requires particular attention to detail during apple selection, preparation, and baking. Trust the expertise of a pastry chef like Megan Brophy, Executive Pastry Chef at Pastis Miami, a French restaurant with a delectable dessert menu.

For the best apple pie, Chef Brophy recommended apples "with balanced flavor profiles, both tart and sweet, and those that will maintain their shape during cooking." In her exclusive interview with Daily Meal, she specifically recommended Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, and Braeburn apples for their balanced flavors and firm bite. Chef Brophy also noted apples to avoid for a perfect pie: "I would not suggest either golden or red delicious apples, as well as McIntosh." Not only are they too sweet for an apple pie, but their already-soft texture would bake into a broken-down mess.

There are a lot of common mistakes when it comes to apple pie, but you can help yourself bake the best pie with apples just on the cusp of ripeness. Chef Megan Brophy advised that "slightly under-ripe apples will be more tart, which will create a more balanced flavor profile in the finished product." Under ripeness also means firmness, which will help the apples hold their shape as the pie bakes. If you have slightly overripe apples, Chef Brophy says those can also be good for homemade apple pie. However, they are already soft enough so she does not recommend par-cooking the apples as you might normally.

With the right apples selected, the best way to prep them starts with the basics: properly wash, core, and peel all of the apples. But Chef Brophy recommends that you then "toss them in a small amount of lemon juice to help prevent oxidation," a zesty twist to prevent an unattractive browning. Once tossed, Chef Brophy says that even apple slices, each approximately ⅛ to ¼ inch wide, will cook best with the pie.