Apple Pear Pie with Flaky Double Crust and Ice Cream

Apple Pear Pie

Apple pear pie should cut into a generous wedge with distinct fruit slices, thickened juices, and golden pastry above and below. This version pairs roughly equal amounts of apples and ripe but firm pears under a full, vented crust. Bake until the juices bubble through the center vents, then let the pie cool so the filling holds together when sliced. Add one scoop of vanilla ice cream to each plated wedge just before serving.

Ingredients for Apple Pear Pie

Makes one standard-depth 9-inch pie, or 8 slices. Prep time: about 35 minutes, including a 15-minute chill. Bake time: about 55 to 65 minutes. Total time: about 4 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours 40 minutes, including about 3 hours of cooling.

• Pastry for a 9-inch double crust, 2 crusts (about 400g; package weights vary)
• 3 1/2 cups peeled, cored apples, sliced about 1/4 inch thick (about 450g, from 3 to 4 medium apples)
• 3 1/2 cups peeled, cored ripe but firm pears, sliced about 1/4 inch thick (about 490g, from 3 to 4 medium pears)
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar (140g)
• 1/4 cup cornstarch (about 30g)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 8 scoops vanilla ice cream, about 1/3 cup each, for serving

Optional: 1 tablespoon coarse sugar for the top crust.

How to Bake Apple Pear Pie

1. Preheat and line the plate: Place a rimmed baking sheet on a lower-middle oven rack and preheat to 425°F (220°C). Fit one crust into a standard-depth 9-inch pie plate without stretching it. Keep the crust chilled while you prepare the filling.
2. Coat the fruit: Toss the apples and pears with the brown sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a large bowl. Mix until the fruit is evenly coated and no dry pockets of cornstarch remain.
3. Assemble the pie: Transfer the fruit and any coated juices to the bottom crust, mounding the slices evenly. Add the second crust, trim and seal the edges, and crimp. Cut several vents near the center, all the way through the pastry, to let steam escape and make bubbling juices visible.
4. Chill and finish: Refrigerate the assembled pie for about 15 minutes, until the pastry feels cool and firm. Lightly brush the top with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar, if using.
5. Bake: Carefully set the pie on the hot baking sheet. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes at 425°F, then reduce the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake for approximately 40 to 50 minutes more. Check the crust when you lower the heat; loosely shield any areas browning too quickly with foil. Rotate the pie carefully if your oven browns unevenly. Begin checking the filling at about 50 minutes total. Continue baking until thick juices bubble through the center vents, the top and visible bottom edge are golden, and a thin knife inserted through a vent meets little resistance from the fruit.
6. Cool and serve: Cool on a rack for about 3 hours so the juices can set. Cut into 8 generous wedges and place one scoop of vanilla ice cream on each plated slice just before serving.

Choosing and Slicing the Fruit

Choose pears that are ripe but still firm. Very soft pears can break down and release more juice as they bake. Cut both fruits into roughly 1/4-inch slices so they cook at a similar rate; if the pears are noticeably softer than the apples, slice them slightly thicker to help them hold their shape.

How to Tell When the Pie Is Done

A golden top alone does not mean the raw fruit is cooked. Look for thick juices bubbling through the center vents, not just around the rim, and check that the visible bottom edge has browned rather than stayed pale. The preheated sheet helps the bottom crust color, but it does not replace these checks. If the pastry darkens before the filling bubbles and the fruit is tender, shield the browned areas loosely with foil and keep baking. Juicy pears, thicker slices, or a deeper pie plate may extend the bake beyond the stated range.

Storing and Rewarming Leftover Pie

Cover and refrigerate leftover pie for up to 4 days, keeping the ice cream separate. To warm a slice, microwave it briefly and check after about 30 seconds; the crust may soften. For a whole chilled pie, cover loosely with foil and warm at 350°F (175°C) until the center is warm, approximately 30 to 45 minutes. Add fresh ice cream after plating.

An assembled unbaked pie can be frozen well wrapped, but it needs a longer bake from frozen. The fresh-pie bake time above will not apply.

Other Apple Pie Styles

For an all-apple alternative, try classic homemade apple pie. If you prefer crumbs to a pastry lid, see this Dutch apple pie with streusel topping; it uses a different topping from the pie made here.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per slice, including one scoop of vanilla ice cream: 500 calories, 6g protein, 21g fat, and 75g carbohydrates. Approximate values per 100g of served pie and ice cream: 210 calories, 3g protein, 9g fat, and 32g carbohydrates. Values vary with the pastry, ice cream, and size of each slice.