Apple crostata, or crostata di mele, is a delicious Italian sweet treat that is made with a buttery, slightly crumbly dough, a filling (jam in this case), and tangy apple slices on top.
There are lots of different variations of this Italian pie. Some are made with a custard filling, for example, but in this recipe we keep it simple and use a delicious apple-kiwi jam that goes really well with the apple. Of course you can use whichever jam you prefer.
You can serve it as dessert, or as a sweet afternoon treat with coffee.
Some variations also add the lattice pattern on top, but some don’t (like mine!). I like to create a pattern with fresh apple slices on top, but feel free to add the lattice top if you like it better.
I’ve had both versions in Italy, so feel free to experiment and see which one you prefer.
Ingredients
- Butter – Use a good quality unsalted butter for the best results. It should be softened slightly. The dough is traditionally made with butter, so I don’t recommend substituting it with anything else.
- White flour – Regular all-purpose flour works well.
- Powdered sugar – Sometimes also known as icing sugar or confectioner’s sugar; some for the dough and some as garnish. Powdered sugar helps the dough be smooth, so I don’t recommend substituting it with granulated sugar.
- Egg yolks – You’ll only need the egg yolks; save the egg whites for another recipe, such as Spanish Meringue Milk or German Cinnamon Stars.
- Salt – Enhances the flavor of the dough.
- Jam of choice – I used apple and kiwi jam, but you can experiment with different pairings of fruit and jam depending on your preference.
- Apples – Ripe and firm apples work best. I like to use Fuji apples, but any variety of your choice will work.
- Lemon juice – Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best taste; prevents the apple slices from browning too quickly and helps balance the sweetness of the jam.
Recipe Tips
- Measure the flour correctly using the spoon-and-level method or a kitchen scale if you have one (this will be the most accurate). If you add too much flour, the dough will get too dry and crumbly.
- Don’t skip refrigerating the dough. It has a high butter content and needs to be chilled to be manageable. Otherwise, it’s difficult to roll out and breaks quite easily when placed in the pie pan.
- My jam was very sweet and jelly-like, so I added the other half of the lemon juice to make it a bit more spreadable and to add some tanginess to contrast the sweetness. But of course, this step is optional.
- The filling can also be made with custard cream, but I prefer using jam.
- When you remove the crostata from the oven, you may notice that it looks a bit liquid. It will firm up as it cools and rests in the fridge.
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How to Make Apple Crostata – Step by Step Instructions
First, add the slightly softened butter to a mixing bowl and break it up using a potato masher or fork. Then add the powdered sugar.
Mix with a spatula until well combined.
Then add the egg yolks and mix until smooth and creamy.
Now sift in the flour and add the salt. Mix with the spatula until the flour is incorporated evenly.
The dough will become crumbly, which is normal. Keep mixing until you can’t see any white flour spots anymore, but don’t overwork the dough.
Shape the dough into a ball with your hands and then wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
In the meantime, wash and core the apples.
Then cut the apples into thin slices and add them to a bowl. Juice half of the lemon and add it to the apples in the bowl. Mix well to coat, then set the bowl aside.
At this time, also preheat the oven to 355 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius), top and bottom heat.
When the 30 minutes are up, remove the dough from the fridge and lightly sprinkle your work surface with flour. Gently roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it is larger than your 11-inch (28 cm) pie pan and about 1/3 inch (just under 1 cm) thick.
Transfer the dough to the pie pan and gently press it into the bottom and up the sides to form the crust.
If it breaks, use some leftover dough to fix the cracks. Trim off any excess dough.
Next, optionally add the rest of the lemon juice to the jam and mix well. Then spread the jam evenly over the bottom of the dough with a spoon.
Arrange the apple slices in a ring on top of the jam, starting at the outside and working your way toward the center. The apples should overlap slightly.
Bake the apple crostata for about 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the apple slices are tender and lightly browned. The exact baking time can vary depending on your oven.
Then remove the crostata from the oven and let it cool to room temperature. Once cooled, refrigerate it for at least 2 hours. You can dust it with some powdered sugar before serving. Enjoy!
Storage Tips
The apple crostata can be stored in the fridge for up to 4-5 days (but I doubt it will last that long).
Related Recipes
If you’re looking for more sweet Italian recipes, you can try these desserts at home:
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup butter, unsalted; slightly softened
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 pounds apples, approximately; I used fuji apples
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons jam of choice, I used apple & kiwi jam
- juice of one lemon
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, for garnish
Instructions
- Add the slightly softened butter to a large mixing bowl and break it into smaller pieces with a potato masher or fork.⅔ cup butter
- Once it is broken into smaller chunks, add the powdered sugar and mix with a spatula until well combined.1 cup + 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- Add the egg yolks and mix until smooth and creamy.3 egg yolks
- Sift in the flour and add the salt. Mix until the flour is incorporated. At some point, the dough will become crumbly. This is normal.2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 pinch salt
- Once all the flour has been incorporated, form the dough into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, wash and core the apples, then cut them into slices and add them to a bowl. Juice half of the lemon and add it to the bowl. Toss to coat to prevent the apple slices from browning. Then set the bowl aside.2 pounds apples, juice of one lemon
- Preheat the oven to 355 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius), top and bottom heat.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and lightly sprinkle your work surface with flour. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to about ⅓ inch (or just under 1 cm) thick.
- Carefully transfer the dough to an 11-inch (28 cm) pie pan. Gently press it into the bottom and up the sides to form the crust. If it breaks or cracks, just add small pieces of the remaining dough and press them together with your fingers. Trim any excess dough.
- Optionally add the rest of the lemon juice to the jam and mix well. Spread the jam evenly over the bottom of the crust with a spoon.¾ cup + 2 tablespoons jam of choice, juice of one lemon
- Arrange the apple slices in a ring on the outer edge of the pie pan, then create a second ring closer to the center, overlapping the first ring. Repeat until you reach the center and the entire surface is covered. If needed, gently press the edges of the dough upward with your thumb so they are at the same height as the apple slices.
- Bake the apple crostata at 355 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius), top and bottom heat, for about for 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the apple slices are tender and lightly browned. The exact baking time can vary depending on your oven.
- Remove the crostata from the oven and let it cool until it reaches room temperature.
- Once cooled, refrigerate the crostata for at least 2 hours before serving. Dust with powdered sugar before serving if desired.2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Notes
- Use a good-quality unsalted butter for the best results. It should be softened slightly, but not too warm.
- You can save the egg whites for another recipe, such as Spanish Meringue Milk or German Cinnamon Stars.
- You can experiment with different jams depending on your preference and what you have available.
- Measure the flour correctly using the spoon-and-level method or a kitchen scale if you have one (this will be the most accurate). If you add too much flour, the dough will get too dry and crumbly.
- Don’t skip refrigerating the dough. It has a high butter content and needs to be chilled to be manageable. Otherwise, it’s difficult to roll out and breaks quite easily when placed in the pie pan.
- The filling can also be made with custard cream.
- The crostata will firm up as it cools.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
