Cuisine: The Polish Palate
•
Course: Desserts Baking
•
Diet: Vegetarian

Szarlotka (Traditional Polish Apple Pie)

A proper heritage Polish apple pie with a buttery, melt-in-the-mouth shortcrust and a massive layer of deeply spiced, caramelised apples.
Prep time 45m
Temp 180°C (356°F)
Cook time 1h 25m
Rest time 2h
Total 4h 10m
Yield 10
Per serving:
499 kcal
71g Carbs
6g Protein
22g Fat
By Adam Dworak

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Ingredients

  • 1500 g
    Bramley Apples
    Bramley Apples
  • 450 g
    Plain Flour
    Plain Flour
  • 250 g
    Unsalted Butter
    Unsalted Butter
  • 200 g
    Caster Sugar
    Caster Sugar
  • 3 pcs
    Eggs
    Eggs
  • 10 g
    Baking Powder
    Baking Powder
  • 8 g
    Cinnamon (Ground)
    Cinnamon (Ground)
  • 2 g
    Salt
    Salt
  • 30 ml
    Ice Cold Water
    Ice Cold Water

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Kitchen Kit

  • 23cm Springform tin
  • Wide sauté pan
  • Box Grater
  • Baking Parchment
  • Peeler
  • Cling Film
Person filling a pie crust with apple pie filling on a wooden table.

Method

  1. Peel, core, and roughly chop the apples into bite-sized chunks. Chuck them into a large, wide sauté pan over medium-high heat.
  2. Add 50g of the caster sugar and the ground cinnamon to the pan. Cook aggressively for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently. You want the apples to break down slightly and the liquid to completely steam dry. This is vital since we aren't using breadcrumbs to absorb moisture. Set aside to cool entirely.
  3. Tip the plain flour, the remaining 150g of caster sugar, baking powder, and salt onto a clean, cold work surface. Scatter over the cold, diced butter.
  4. Use your fingertips to quickly rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse, sandy rubble.
  5. Crack the eggs, separating them carefully. Drop the yolks into the centre of your flour mixture (you can stash the whites in the fridge for a meringue later). Add the ice-cold water. Bring the dough together swiftly with your hands—do not knead or overwork it, or the pastry will be tough.
  6. Divide the dough into two pieces, making one slightly larger for the base. Wrap both tightly in cling film and stash in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up. Pre-heat your oven to 180°C.
  7. Press the larger piece of chilled dough evenly into the base of a lined 23cm springform tin. Prick it all over with a fork. Blind bake for 10-12 minutes until it just starts to smile and turns pale golden.
  8. Spoon the cooled, dry apple mixture over the baked base, pressing it down firmly into an even, dense layer.
  9. Take the remaining chilled dough and coarsely grate it directly over the apples using a box grater. Scatter it evenly to form a rustic, nubby crust.
  10. Slide the tin into the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes until the grated topping is deeply golden and crisp. Let it rest and cool entirely in the tin before slicing, otherwise the hot apple filling will collapse.
Chef's Note & Storage
Fridge up to 4 days. Keep covered to prevent the pastry from going stale. Best served at room temperature.
Slice of apple crumble pie on a glass plate with a fork, on a wooden table.

The Soul of Polish Baking

Forget everything you know about standard, jammy apple pie. A proper heritage Polish Szarlotka is a completely different beast. It balances a buttery, almost sandy shortcrust (kruche ciasto) with a massive, densely packed layer of tart, spiced apples. It's meant to be robust, towering, and deeply comforting—the kind of cake that anchors a Sunday afternoon coffee table.

CHEF'S SECRET: Since we're skipping the traditional breadcrumb moisture-barrier on the base, you must pre-cook the apples aggressively to drive off excess water. This concentrates the flavour, guarantees a crisp pastry base, and stops the pie from turning into a soggy pudding.

❖

The Perfect Shortcrust

A proper Polish kruche ciasto relies on cold butter and quick hands. You want to rub the fat into the flour swiftly before it melts, ensuring the final bake shatters pleasantly in the mouth. The grated pastry on top isn't just for rustic looks; it creates maximum surface area for a beautifully crisp, golden finish that contrasts with the soft, cinnamon-laced fruit below.

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Cook’s Notes & Discussion

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Szarlotka (Traditional Polish Apple Pie)
Cuisine:The Polish Palate
Course:Desserts, Baking
Diet:Vegetarian

Szarlotka (Traditional Polish Apple Pie)

By Adam Dworak

A proper heritage Polish apple pie with a buttery, melt-in-the-mouth shortcrust and a massive layer of deeply spiced, caramelised apples.

Prep 45m
Temp 180°C
Cook 1h 25m
Rest 2h
Total 4h 10m
Yield 10
Person filling a pie crust with apple pie filling on a wooden table.

Kitchen Kit

  • •23cm Springform tin
  • •Wide sauté pan
  • •Box Grater
  • •Baking Parchment
  • •Peeler
  • •Cling Film
Per serving:
499 kcal
71g Carbs
6g Protein
22g Fat

Ingredients

  • 1500 g Bramley Apples
  • 450 g Plain Flour
  • 250 g Unsalted Butter
  • 200 g Caster Sugar
  • 3 pcs Eggs
  • 10 g Baking Powder
  • 8 g Cinnamon (Ground)
  • 2 g Salt
  • 30 ml Ice Cold Water

Method

Step-by-step instructions.

Chef's Note:
Fridge up to 4 days. Keep covered to prevent the pastry from going stale. Best served at room temperature.
Slice of apple crumble pie on a glass plate with a fork, on a wooden table.
  1. Peel, core, and roughly chop the apples into bite-sized chunks. Chuck them into a large, wide sauté pan over medium-high heat.
  2. Add 50g of the caster sugar and the ground cinnamon to the pan. Cook aggressively for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently. You want the apples to break down slightly and the liquid to completely steam dry. This is vital since we aren't using breadcrumbs to absorb moisture. Set aside to cool entirely.
  3. Tip the plain flour, the remaining 150g of caster sugar, baking powder, and salt onto a clean, cold work surface. Scatter over the cold, diced butter.
  4. Use your fingertips to quickly rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse, sandy rubble.
  5. Crack the eggs, separating them carefully. Drop the yolks into the centre of your flour mixture (you can stash the whites in the fridge for a meringue later). Add the ice-cold water. Bring the dough together swiftly with your hands—do not knead or overwork it, or the pastry will be tough.
  6. Divide the dough into two pieces, making one slightly larger for the base. Wrap both tightly in cling film and stash in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up. Pre-heat your oven to 180°C.
  7. Press the larger piece of chilled dough evenly into the base of a lined 23cm springform tin. Prick it all over with a fork. Blind bake for 10-12 minutes until it just starts to smile and turns pale golden.
  8. Spoon the cooled, dry apple mixture over the baked base, pressing it down firmly into an even, dense layer.
  9. Take the remaining chilled dough and coarsely grate it directly over the apples using a box grater. Scatter it evenly to form a rustic, nubby crust.
  10. Slide the tin into the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes until the grated topping is deeply golden and crisp. Let it rest and cool entirely in the tin before slicing, otherwise the hot apple filling will collapse.

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The Soul of Polish Baking

Forget everything you know about standard, jammy apple pie. A proper heritage Polish Szarlotka is a completely different beast. It balances a buttery, almost sandy shortcrust (kruche ciasto) with a massive, densely packed layer of tart, spiced apples. It's meant to be robust, towering, and deeply comforting—the kind of cake that anchors a Sunday afternoon coffee table.

CHEF'S SECRET: Since we're skipping the traditional breadcrumb moisture-barrier on the base, you must pre-cook the apples aggressively to drive off excess water. This concentrates the flavour, guarantees a crisp pastry base, and stops the pie from turning into a soggy pudding.

❖

The Perfect Shortcrust

A proper Polish kruche ciasto relies on cold butter and quick hands. You want to rub the fat into the flour swiftly before it melts, ensuring the final bake shatters pleasantly in the mouth. The grated pastry on top isn't just for rustic looks; it creates maximum surface area for a beautifully crisp, golden finish that contrasts with the soft, cinnamon-laced fruit below.