Triple Flavor Slab Pie
I won’t mince words. Triple Flavor Slab Pie is a lot of work. You are essentially making three pies at the same time.
But the result is spectacular and so worth it!
Basically, it is a slab pie divided into sections: apple, pecan, and pumpkin.
Slab Pies
A slab pie is a pie baked on a sheet pan. Technically it is baked on a half-sheet pan, one that measures 13 x 18 inches. Flat, rimmed, and constructed of heavy gauge aluminum or sheet steel, sheet pans are great for easy weeknight dinners like this one and even a holiday dinner.
But! A pie baked on a sheet pan? Really?
Yes. Similar to sheet cakes, slab pies are perfect for when you have a carload of people coming over for dinner, a church potluck, or an office holiday party. They feed a crowd.
A traditional 9-inch pie contains between 8 and 12 slices (there is always that person who wants “just a sliver”). Slab pies, however, yield anywhere from 24 to 30 pieces depending on how you cut them.
Tips for Baking Slab Pies
There are a few musts when putting together a big pie like this one.
- Make your crust. I recommend you make your pie dough because it tastes so much better than store-bought. But, if you have crust issues, I understand. If using packaged pie dough, you will need two boxes and will be using three of the four doughs.
- Blind bake the crust before filling it. You certainly don’t want a soggy bottom after all your hard work. Prebake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, let cool, then fill.
- Making a multi-flavor slab pie like this one? Choose fillings that have a similar bake time.
- Partially cook fruit fillings. Certain fruits release a lot of juice when baked, resulting in a watery filling. Precook the fruit part way to avoid too much liquid.
- Line your oven with foil. Because these pies are shallower than a normal pie, there may be some spillage and overflow from fillings. Laying down aluminum foil will save you from oven clean-up later and prevent your kitchen from smelling like a tire fire.
Pie Choices
When it comes to Thanksgiving, the most popular pie flavor varies depending on where in the nation you live. For those in the western U.S., pumpkin is definitely the fave. But as you travel east, the preference changes from pumpkin to pecan, and then to apple.
My family enjoys all three pies, any time of the year. I sneak in a rogue flavor every once in a while, but normally I stick to the big three for holidays that are heavy on tradition. The great thing about this triple-flavor slab pie? You get all three flavors in one giant pie!
Lessons Learned
- Planning ahead is key for success! Components of this pie can be made in advance. I recommend preparing the pie dough and apple filling a day ahead.
- Are you tempted to skip sauteeing the apples? It will save a step, but you will regret it once the apples release their juices and run into the other flavors. But you are an adult, so do what you want.
- If lattice is not your thing, keep the dough for the top of the apple pie in one piece. Remember to cut steam vents in the top before baking.
Hat Tips
Many thanks to Macheesmo for the Thanksgiving tri-pie inspiration, Pioneer Woman for the pecan pie filling recipe, NYT Cooking for the apple pie filling recipe, and Libby’s for their famous pumpkin pie recipe.
Triple Flavor Slab Pie
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 to 30 slices 1x
Ingredients
Dough:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups butter, frozen
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup vodka
Apple Filling:
- 6 cups Golden Delicious apples, peeled and sliced
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp butter
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp cornstarch
Pecan Filling:
- ⅓ cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup light corn syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups pecans, coarsely chopped
Pumpkin Filling:
- 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 cup milk (any kind)
Instructions
- Make the dough by stirring the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Using a box grater, grate the frozen butter directly into the flour. Toss to coat the shredded butter with the flour. Tip in the water and vodka and stir to hydrate the dough. Use your hand to lightly knead and help the dough come together.
- Pinch off ⅔ cup of dough and set it aside. Roll out the remaining dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle to fit an 18x13 rimmed sheet pan. Trim to fit the pan. Save trimmings and add to reserved dough.
- Roll out reserved dough to ¼-inch thickness. Cut two strips approximately 13 inches by 1 inch to use as dividers. Cut the remaining dough into 1-inch strips to use as a lattice for the apple pie. You can also just leave the dough as is if you don’t want to do a lattice.
- Preheat the oven to 425F/218C. Place the rack in the middle position.
- Place the divider strips in the sheet pan to make three equal-sized sections and press into place. Cover each section with parchment paper and fill each with pie weights or dried beans. Be sure the beans are one layer and evenly distributed to keep the dough from puffing up, especially in the area next to the two dividers.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven. Remove the beans and parchment paper, then put the pie back in the oven for another 5 to 7 minutes. Set the crust aside to cool, then lower the oven temperature to 350F/176C.
- Make the apple filling by tossing together the apples and lemon juice. Pour into a large pan over medium heat and sauté for 5-ish minutes. Sprinkle the sugar, salt, and cinnamon over the apples and stir to combine. Sprinkle on the flour and cornstarch and stir. Continue to cook on medium heat until the apples are soft and a loose glaze has formed. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Once the filling is cool, carefully spoon it into one of the crust sections. Arrange the reserved dough strips on top to make a lattice pattern.
- Make the pecan filling by melting the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Tip in the brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt then stir together. Add in the eggs and whisk until smooth. Scatter the pecans onto one of the crust sections in an even layer. Slowly pour the liquid filling over the pecans until it almost reaches the edge. You may have a few tablespoons of filling left over.
- Make the pumpkin filling by combining the pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir until smooth, then slowly whisk in the milk. Pour the filling into one of the crust sections until it almost reaches the edge. Again, you may have a few tablespoons of filling left.
- Carefully move the sheet pan to the oven. It will be heavy! Bake at 350F/176C for 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 3 hours or more before slicing and serving.
- There are a few ways to slice the slab. I chose to cut triangular pieces in each section and got between 8 and 10 slices per flavor. The sections could also be cut into squares or rectangles.
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