GLWhiskeyKitchen

Dessert · · By Ashley

Gascon Bourbon Apple Pie

Gascony does apple pie with crumpled sheets of paper-thin pastry instead of a crust. I do it with bourbon.

Jump to recipe
Prep
35 min
Cook
55 min
Total
1 hr 30 min
Serves
6 to 8
Level
Medium
A whole Gascon apple pie with a tall crown of scrunched, golden filo, on a wooden board by the kitchen sink

Where the time goes

1 hr 30 min, mostly waiting

  • Hands-on
  • Hands-off
  1. 01Hands-onCook the bourbon apples · then cool completely10 to 13 min
  2. 02Hands-onLayer the filo and build the crown20 min
  3. 03Hands-offBake40 to 45 min
  4. 04Hands-offCool before glazing20 min
  5. 05Hands-onMake the caramel · while it cools5 to 7 min

The story

The Gascon apple pie comes from southwest France. Instead of a rolled crust, it is built from layers of buttered, sugared filo, with more sheets scrunched up loosely on top into a ruffled crown that bakes shatteringly crisp.

The apples cook first in butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, then Grand Teton bourbon goes in and bubbles down until only the vanilla and oak are left. A little cornstarch turns the pan juices into a glossy glaze that goes into the pie with the fruit.

The caramel pools in the scrunched layers. That is the whole point of the crown.

The finish is a spiced bourbon caramel: dark brown sugar, cream, butter and cinnamon, with more bourbon whisked in off the heat so it keeps its punch. Half goes over the pie, and the rest goes to the table in a pitcher.

  • The filo crown from above, glossy and dusted with cinnamon sugar
    The crown, glossy with butter and cinnamon sugar.
  • A slice of Gascon apple pie on a white plate, shattered filo layers over soft bourbon apples, a fork beside it
    Shatter the filo, then find the apples.

Ingredients

Serves 6 to 8, plus 1 cup of glaze

Tap an ingredient to check it off.

The bourbon cinnamon apple filling

The filo pastry

The spiced bourbon caramel

Method

Tap a step number to mark it done.

Cook the apples

  1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

  2. Add the apples, both sugars, the lemon juice, salt and all 2 tsp of cinnamon. Stir to coat.

  3. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the apples start to soften but still hold their shape.

  4. The bourbon

    Carefully pour in the bourbon and let it bubble for 2 minutes to cook off the sharp alcohol edge.

    Take the pan off the heat for a moment while you pour, especially over a gas flame.

  5. Sprinkle over the cornstarch and stir constantly for 1 minute, until the pan juices thicken into a glossy glaze. Take it off the heat and let it cool completely.

Layer the filo

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F / 190°C. Brush a 9-inch pie dish or springform pan lightly with some of the melted butter.

  2. Cinnamon sugar

    Mix the ⅓ cup sugar with the ½ tsp cinnamon in a small bowl.

  3. Build the base

    Lay one sheet of filo on a clean surface, brush it lightly with butter, and sprinkle with a pinch of the cinnamon sugar. Lay a second sheet on top, turned slightly so the corners start to form a star. Repeat until you have 6 sheets stacked.

    Keep the filo you are not using under a damp towel. It dries out and cracks fast.

  4. Line the dish

    Lift the stack into the dish and press it into the bottom and up the sides, leaving the extra hanging over the edge.

Build the crown

  1. Spoon in the cooled apples and pour all of the thickened pan glaze over the top.

  2. Fold the overhanging pastry loosely back over the outer edge of the filling.

  3. Scrunch

    Brush a single sheet of filo with butter, sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar, and scrunch it loosely into a wrinkled ball, like a tissue. Set it on top of the exposed apples.

  4. Repeat with 3 to 4 more sheets, packing them tightly side by side until the whole top is a ruffled crown of pastry.

  5. Finish with one last light brush of butter and a scatter of cinnamon sugar.

Bake

  1. Bake at 375°F / 190°C for 40 to 45 minutes.

  2. Watch the crown

    The ruffles brown quickly. If the top is deep golden and crisp before the 30-minute mark, lay a piece of foil loosely over it for the rest of the bake.

  3. Cool

    Let the pie cool in the dish for at least 20 minutes so the filling sets before it is glazed.

The spiced bourbon caramel

  1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the dark brown sugar, cream, butter and cinnamon.

  2. Simmer

    Bring it to a gentle boil, whisking constantly, then turn the heat to low and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until thick and velvety.

  3. Finish with bourbon

    Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the bourbon and flaky salt.

    Adding the bourbon last keeps its aroma bright and punchy.

Serve

  1. Just before serving, slowly drizzle half the warm caramel over the filo crown so it runs down into the folds.

  2. Pour the rest into a small pitcher and pass it at the table.

Things worth knowing

  • Let the apple filling cool completely before it goes into the filo, or the base turns soggy.
  • Glaze just before serving so the crown stays crisp.
  • The bourbon in the caramel goes in off the heat, so it keeps most of its alcohol.

Swaps that work

  • Any bourbon you like works in place of Grand Teton.

Credits and sources

Ingredients · 1 hr 30 min · Serves 6 to 8, plus 1 cup of glaze

The bourbon cinnamon apple filling

  • 3 lbsapples
  • ¼ cupGrand Teton bourbon
  • 2 tspground cinnamon
  • ½ cupdemerara or light brown sugar
  • ¼ cupgranulated sugar
  • 4 tbspunsalted butter
  • 1 tbsplemon juice
  • 1 tbspcornstarch
  • A pinch ofsalt

The filo pastry

  • 1 packet (about 375 g)filo pastry
  • ¾ cupunsalted butter
  • ⅓ cupgranulated sugar
  • ½ tspground cinnamon

The spiced bourbon caramel

  • 3 tbspGrand Teton bourbon
  • ½ cupheavy cream
  • ½ cupdark brown sugar
  • 2 tbspunsalted butter
  • ½ tspground cinnamon
  • ¼ tspflaky sea salt

Filed under

More dessert
  • Dessert
    The bananas foster roll from the cut end, showing the cream spiral under caramel bananas, piped cream and chopped candied pecans on a powdered-sugar board

    Bananas Foster and Candied Pecan Roll

    My extra-vanilla French sponge roll, filled with mashed bananas foster and spiced Madagascar vanilla cream, then crowned with more caramel bananas and chopped candied pecans.

    2 hr 55 min · A project

  • Dessert
    A hand holding a cream puff broken open to show the vanilla cream, over a board of powdered-sugar-dusted puffs

    The Signature High-Rise Cream Puff

    Tall, hollow choux puffs baked on a silicone mat and packed with an extra-vanilla crème légère made with my own Grand Teton bourbon vanilla.

    2 hr 55 min · Medium

  • Dessert
    A sponge roll under a heavy dusting of powdered sugar and toasted coconut, topped with four cream rosettes each crowned with half a strawberry

    Fresh Strawberry and Toasted Coconut Roll

    A classic French sponge roll with double vanilla, warm cinnamon, fresh strawberry jam and toasted coconut. A project, and it looks like one.

    3 hr · A project

Made this one?

I send a new recipe most weeks, plus whatever went sideways in the kitchen that week.

No spam, no affiliate links, no "10 hacks". Unsubscribe whenever.

By subscribing you agree to get occasional emails from GL Whiskey Kitchen. Your email is used only to send them, is never sold or shared, and is deleted when you unsubscribe. Privacy policy