avg —
Vegan Bulk Apple Semolina Pie Without Eggs or Dairy
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients. You need juicy tart-sweet apples, ordinary semolina, plain flour, sugar, apple juice, vegetable oil, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Heat the oven to 180 C with conventional top and bottom heat or 170 C with fan assistance.
Combine the semolina, flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Whisk until the colour is even. Divide the dry mixture into three approximately equal portions. For accuracy, weigh the combined mixture and set aside 155-160 g for each layer.
Wash, peel and core the apples. Grate the flesh coarsely. Do not squeeze it or pour away the released juice because this moisture hydrates the semolina and flour in the oven. Divide the grated apple mixture in half.
Line the base of the 22 cm pan with parchment and lightly oil the sides. Spread the first third of the dry mixture evenly over the base, then add half the grated apples. Do not compress the fruit. Level it gently with a spoon.
Add the second third of the dry mixture, the remaining apples with their juice and the final portion of dry ingredients. Level the top, especially around the edge. Thick mounds do not hydrate evenly, so keep the layer uniform across the whole pan.
Mix the apple juice with the vegetable oil. Pour it slowly in a thin stream to dampen the whole surface. Use a wooden skewer to make holes all the way to the bottom at 3-4 cm intervals. Do not stir the layers or move the skewer sideways.
Bake on the middle oven rack for 50-55 minutes. Do not open the door during the first 40 minutes. The top should be evenly golden, with tiny bubbles of apple juice visible around the edge. Rest the pie in the pan for at least 30 minutes. Run a thin knife around the rim, remove the ring and cool completely before slicing.
How a batter-free bulk pie works
The flour and semolina are dry when the pie is assembled. In the oven, they absorb moisture from the apples and the liquid mixture. The semolina swells, the flour binds the liquid and the baking powder loosens the upper layer slightly. Once cooled, the pie can be cut into ordinary slices even though no batter was mixed.
Do not compact the layers. Liquid travels more freely through a loose assembly. Firmly packed apples or a thick mound of dry mixture may leave pale grains of semolina in the centre.
How to prevent dry flour or semolina pockets
Keep the apple juice. Moisture from the grated fruit is part of the recipe. Squeezed apples cannot hydrate three dry layers properly.
Divide the mixture evenly. Each layer should contain approximately 155-160 g. A heavy final layer may remain powdery after baking.
Pour slowly. A fast stream runs towards the rim and leaves the centre dry. A small jug with a narrow spout or a tablespoon gives better control.
Pierce all the way down. Make holes at 3-4 cm intervals, including near the sides. Insert the skewer vertically and remove it without stirring.
Rest the pie. The filling is soft immediately after baking and the bottom layer continues to distribute moisture. The structure becomes stable after 30-60 minutes.
Best apples for this pie
Juicy tart-sweet apples with a distinct aroma work best. Firm autumn varieties such as Granny Smith, Jonagold and Bramley are suitable. Very dry apples produce too little juice, while extremely soft summer fruit can collapse into puree.
- Tart apples. Use all 130 g sugar.
- Sweet apples. Reduce the sugar to 100-110 g.
- Dry apples. Increase the apple juice to 130 ml.
- Very juicy apples. Keep the 100 ml liquid mixture, but do not add a separate pool of juice from the bottom of the bowl.
Bulk pie, semolina cake and Three Cups pie
For a conventional semolina cake, the grain is mixed with water, kefir or another liquid and allowed to swell before baking. That method creates a uniform batter. In a bulk pie, the dry ingredients are layered and do not meet the apples until the pie is in the oven.
Three Cups pie is a closely related recipe made with roughly equal volumes of flour, semolina and sugar. This version contains less sugar and uses gram weights, so the flavour is less sweet and the result does not depend on the size of a cup.
Substitutions and variations
Water instead of apple juice. Replace the juice with 100 ml water. The apple aroma will be slightly less intense, but the texture will remain the same.
Plant-based milk. Unsweetened oat or almond drink works well. Use 100 ml without changing the amount of oil.
Wholemeal flour. Replace up to 50 g of the plain flour. A complete substitution produces a denser top and requires another 20-30 ml liquid.
Nuts or raisins. Scatter 50 g chopped walnuts or 60 g rinsed raisins between the apple layers. Dry raisins thoroughly before using.
Vanilla. Add 8 g vanilla sugar and reduce the plain sugar by the same weight.
Common problems
The pie falls apart. It was removed from the pan or cut while hot. Rest it for at least 30 minutes and cool completely for clean slices.
The centre resembles porridge. The apples were exceptionally watery or the pie was underbaked. Return it to a 170 C oven for another 10 minutes and cover the browned top loosely with foil.
The bottom remains pale and dry. The liquid did not reach the base. Next time, make more skewer holes and pour especially carefully over the centre.
The top is greasy. The oil was poured into one spot. Mix it with the juice immediately before using and distribute it in a thin stream.
The edge burns. A dark pan heats strongly or is positioned too close to the lower element. Use the middle rack and protect the edge with a strip of foil after 40 minutes if needed.
Calories and nutrition
For a completely cooled pie weighing approximately 1.3 kg, the estimated nutrition per 100 g is:
- energy - 215 kcal;
- protein - 2.9 g;
- fat - 6.1 g;
- carbohydrate - 38.8 g.
These values are estimates. The precise result depends on the apple variety, retained juice, product brands and the amount of moisture lost in the oven.
Storage
Keep the completely cooled pie covered for up to 2 days at room temperature or 4 days in the refrigerator. The layers become firmer after a night in the refrigerator, producing especially clean slices.
To freeze, cut the pie into portions and wrap them airtight. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then warm for 8-10 minutes at 160 C.
More apple recipes
This pie appears in our collection of 15 vegan apple recipes. For a lighter crumb, try egg-free dairy-free apple sharlotka. Serve the pie with fresh apple compote, or preserve fruit without added sugar as apple fruit leather.
Video
The video demonstrates a similar method for a vegan bulk apple pie. Its ingredient quantities differ, so use the written amounts above for a 22 cm pan.
Recipe illustrations were created with AI.
FAQ
Can bulk apple pie be made without apple juice? +
Yes. Replace it with 100 ml water or an unsweetened plant-based drink. Do not reduce the liquid, especially when the apples are not very juicy.
Should grated apples be squeezed? +
No. Their juice hydrates the semolina and flour. Squeezed fruit is a common cause of pale dry patches inside the pie.
Can the apple peel be left on? +
Thin peel can stay on, although it will be visible in the filling. Remove tough peel from autumn and winter apples.
Why does bulk pie fall apart? +
The hot layers have not yet set. Rest the pie in its pan for at least 30 minutes and cut it after cooling completely.
Can I use a silicone pan? +
Yes, provided it holds its shape. Place it on a baking sheet, line the base with parchment and then assemble the layers.
Can this be baked in a 24 cm pan? +
Yes. The pie will be lower and may finish 5-7 minutes sooner. Begin checking the colour after 45 minutes.
Can I use a multicooker? +
Yes. Line the bowl base with parchment, assemble the layers and use the Baking setting for 70-80 minutes. The top will remain paler than an oven-baked pie.
When should the pie be sliced? +
For clean slices, wait until it is completely cool. If serving warm, rest it in the pan for at least 30 minutes and use a very sharp knife.
- Comment
or post as a guest
Be the first to comment.
