# Why is my apple pie so watery after baking?



## fiffy

I've baked an caramel apple pie from scratch according to the recipe I got online. The pie crust and taste is good, the only problem is the pie is "too juicy". The interior ingredient is sliced apples with cinnamon and caramel (made with sugar, red wine and cream). I'm using Gala apple and granny smith apple. I've also made some cuts on the pie before baking so the steam can escape. But the pie filling turned out way too juicy. I need to know how I can solve this problem or am I doing something wrong? Please help!


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## kuan

In theory, all apple pie is caramel apple pie. The caramel makes itself while the pie is baking. I toss the apples in spices, sugar, and flour before filling the pie crust.


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## ed buchanan

I notice you use no arrowroot or cornstarch in the pie. The cream would normally help thicken, however since the wine contains alcohol it would tend to break down the thickening attributes of the cream. I would dissolve a small amount of starch in some apple juice and add it in .Then bake.:bounce:


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## willie24

fiffy - After you slice your apples mix them with your sugar and a little lemon juice - then put them in a colander to drain for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. This helps draw out some of the excess moisture in the apples but not enough to make for a dry pie. You'll be surprised at how much liquid comes out.


Hpoe this helps,

Willie


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## shipscook

kuan and Ed are correct, you do need some sort of thickner.
I bake many pies a week and for me tapioca is my no fail thickner. Flour and corn starch both work, but I have had them fail several times.
Just mix tapioca (amount on box of Minute type) with sugar, spices and sliced apples and let sit for 30 minutes or so.
Good Luck and let us know what works,
Nan


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## kcz

I also think the tapioca works well, but my family hates it ("looks like fish eyes"), so I grind it up in a spice grinder before adding it to the pie. It still works just as well this way.


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## kuan

Maybe you should just use tapioca starch. I wonder why it hasn't caught on like conrstarch.

Man I'm jonesing for apple pie right now. Sugar crusted top... caramel oozing out of the holes in the top...


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## ed buchanan

Kuan 
I think that by grinding the tapioca ,he in fact is making a starch, and its a good idea I believe. We used to use tapioca in blueberry pie cause it was same size as blueberry and took on its tast and color. It never occurred to me to grind it.


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## qahtan

Cassava flour, also called tapioca flour or tapioca starch. 

Myself I partially cook my apple so that I can adjust the sugar according to 
to how sweet my apples are and at the same time add just touch of corn starch. qahtan


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## ishbel

My Mum and Grandma always sprinkled a little semolina in the base of the pastry case which absorbed the juices of fruits like apples or rhubarb and slightly thicked the 'sauce', too,


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## jfield

Building on wha Willie24 suggests, I'd catch that drained liquid, add some starch to it, cook and reduce it to a gel, and add it back to the pie.


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## cheflayne

Yeah, even three years later it is still understood /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif !


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## cakeface

that is how my mother made her tarts too nice and simple . Just sprinkle jam sugar on the base of your pastry and though the layers of sliced apple. guaranteed to work-the pectine in the sugar sets the juice and the result is delicous too mmmmm


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## rrcos

I made one last year with a method used at Americas Test Kitchens.. They suggested that pre-cooking the apples a bit before filling the shell keeps it from becoming too soggy. The pie came out deep, moist, delicious but not runny.. perfect.


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## tasquah

Ohh , nice photo and a great looking slice of pie RRCos.


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## foodpump

Does no one saute their apples in a bit of butter? 

This process allows a lot of moisture to escape  as well as collapsing the apples slightly--no more 1/2" of apples and 2" of  empty headspace in a crust.  Used to get a case or two of braeburns in, process them in a steam kettle and bag and freeze the "mix".  Used it for daily fresh baked apple pies, as well as muffin batters and brunch pancakes.  Braeburns hold their shape well even after cooking and for me, are the perfect blend of sweet and tart.


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## carolinebru

I always include a starch in my filling and start with a really high temp in the oven 425-450 for a few minutes to "shock" the crust so to speak.


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## brianshaw

foodpump said:


> Does no one saute their apples in a bit of butter?


Myself.


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## chefedb

By precooking the apples you are releasing the pectin that is in the apple and the skin. Pectin is a thickening agent.(used in jellies and jams)


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## foodpump

Ehhh...No.

Unripe apples have  a lot of pectin, and partially ripe apples some, but fully ripe apples have very little.pectin--if any at all. Besides the apples are peeled and cored--both of which are good sources of pectin.

By sauteing the apples before making the pie,you are releasing water--which would normally be converted to steam within the crust of the pie, thus inflating the pie and then collapsing into a thin layer of apple.


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## chefedb

Most fruit sold in stores , at least here is unripe. You have to let them sit out a few days


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## foodpump

Uh-huh....

Apples and pears harvested last year and being sold now are still ripe, eh?


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## mulsovia

@ ED:  I mix dry cornstarch into my sugar/spice mixture.  I get watery pie too.  Does it help to mix the dry starch with liquid first and pour onto apples in pie crust before baking?  I have tried flour too, but I cannot get that nice 'set up' apple pie like I used to.


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