If you need to make pie for a crowd, then we highly recommend giving slab pies a go – they are super easy to make and transport, and all the components can be assembled in advance. Check out our guide below for more top tips and advice.

It’s often said that the UK and the USA are two countries separated by a common language, and in this instance that language is pie. While in America pies are made with pie dough – a flaky dough that’s firmer than puff but flakier than shortcrust – and large chunks of firm apples. However, in the UK apple pie is often made with a mixture of cooking apples and dessert apples, the former turning into apple-scented fluff and the latter mostly keeping their shape. British pies are also often eaten with shortcrust pastry, quickly kneaded together with no folding or large pieces of butter.

Different apples behave surprisingly differently once baked. Nicola Lamb and King Arthur Flour’s tests both show not only how much of a difference the variety of apple makes, as well as how much apples vary between the UK and the USA.

We’ve gone for a split between tart and sweet, soft and firm apples below, but if you like a softer filling, swap out some of the Granny Smiths for more cooking apples, or vice versa.

You’ll see recipes using everything you can think of to thicken apple pie – flour, corn starch, tapioca starch, and sometimes even nothing at all. We’ve gone for cornstarch below, since it’s readily available. However, a similar amount of tapioca starch would also work well if you prefer a clearer, more gel-like texture.

This easy apple slab pie has a crumble topping (sometimes called a Dutch apple pie in the states) which makes it simple to assemble, with no fears about lattice tops or filling spilling.

For this recipe you'll need a deep 9 × 13 inch brownie tin (23 × 33 cm).

Serves 10-12

All the components of this pie can be made in advance – the crumble will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for 2–3 days, and the apples will keep in the fridge for 24 hours, but might brown a little. The pastry can be kept refrigerated and covered for 3 days, unless it contains raw eggs, in which case it should be used within 2 days.

The whole baked pie will keep in the fridge for 3 days, and can be rewarmed in the oven before serving.

We love apple pie with single cream, custard, vanilla ice cream – all the classics! This pie isn’t too sweet, so something sweeter like vanilla ice cream or some slightly sweetened whipped cream would work well too.