Why It's A Mistake To Slice Into That Fresh Apple Pie Too Early

Oh, the comfort of a sweet apple pie that feels like a hug in a meal. This classic dessert is traditionally placed on the table in most American households when celebrating holidays and family milestones — being known as the family member who makes the best apple pie gives you the ultimate bragging rights. And yet, it's so easy to get this pie wrong and make a number of mistakes that result in everything but the perfect pie. Perhaps the most common mishap is a wet, runny pie that stubbornly refuses to hold a shape; this is what happens when you slice into it too early.

Waiting before you slice the pie is the crucial step of the pie-making process. Although slicing is the very final step, the timing of it is no less important than the texture of the flaky pie crust or the freshness of the filling. If you cut into the apple pie too soon, you'll be very disappointed by the filling's thin, drippy consistency. Instead of ending up with neat slices that can easily be lifted and plated, you'll find a runny mess that's impossible to transfer to a plate.

Keep in mind that when you pull the pie out of the oven, it's not done baking yet. Resting the pie is a vital part of baking that shouldn't be skipped. The filling needs time to set and solidify, which only happens through the process of cooling down.

Your apple pie will need a lot more than a quick 20 minutes to properly cool down. It's filled with scorching melted sugar that needs to get to an edible temperature and a gel-like consistency that holds the cut fruit in place. Ideally, you'll rest your pie for at least four hours — if you prefer to sleep while you wait, just rest it overnight. We've all eaten leftover apple pie the next day and wondered why it tastes better than the day before; now you know. The pie had proper time to rest. Not only does resting benefit the pie's consistency, but it also enhances the flavor. When you rush with slicing it, you miss out on the harmony of flavors that come together as the pie is cooling down.

If you find that your filling is still coming out runny, even after properly resting the pie, consider adding a thickener that will bring the needed density to the filling. Just remember that this tip is not a workaround to resting the pie — even with a thickener, the pie still absolutely needs to rest because thickeners, too, need time to set. While you're waiting, you can use the leftover apple filling to whip up an easy cake.