Szarlotka

Name: Szarlotka
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour (for the dough); 1/2 cup unsalted butter (cold), cubed; 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for the dough); 2 yolks large egg yolks; 2 tbsp sour cream; 2 lbs Granny Smith apples, peeled, sliced; 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for the filling); 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Polish apple cake with a crumbly butter pastry base and top, filled with cinnamon-spiced sliced apples. It is the classic Polish apple pie served at coffee time. Plan ahead: chill the dough for 30 minutes.

85 minMediumServes 12250 cal/serving

PolishDessertOvenVegetarian

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Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour (for the dough)
1/2 cup unsalted butter (cold), cubed
1/2 cup granulated sugar (for the dough)
2 yolks large egg yolks
2 tbsp sour cream
2 lbs Granny Smith apples, peeled, sliced
1/4 cup granulated sugar (for the filling)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1

Whisk 2 cups all-purpose flour (for the dough) with 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for the dough). Cut in the cold 1/2 cup cubed unsalted butter (cold) with a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
2

Stir 2 yolks large egg yolks and 2 tbsp sour cream together, then mix them into the crumbs until a dough forms. Divide it into two pieces, one slightly larger. Wrap both and chill 30 minutes.
3

Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking pan.
4

Toss 2 lbs peeled, sliced Granny Smith apples with 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for the filling), 1 tsp ground cinnamon, and 2 tsp fresh lemon juice.
5

Press the larger dough piece evenly into the bottom of the pan. Spread the apples over it.
6

Crumble the smaller dough piece over the apples, leaving some gaps so the apples show through.
7

Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until the top is golden and a knife slides easily into the apples.
8

Cool in the pan at least 30 minutes before cutting into squares.

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Questions

What oven temperature does Szarlotka need?

For Szarlotka, the oven is set to 350 F (about 175 C) in step 3. The longest stretch at that heat is 1 hour, in step 7.

Is there a substitute for sour cream in Szarlotka?

The entry for Szarlotka calls for 2 tbsp sour cream. In its place: Full-fat plain Greek yogurt, measure for measure. In hot sauces, add it off the heat.

Can I make Szarlotka dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in Szarlotka is 1/2 cup unsalted butter (cold), cubed, 2 tbsp sour cream. Swap the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed; the sour cream for thick coconut yogurt with a squeeze of lemon. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Can I make Szarlotka gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in Szarlotka is 2 cups all-purpose flour (for the dough). Swap the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (where it only thickens a sauce, half as much cornstarch also works). Everything else proceeds as written.

Can I start Szarlotka the day before?

Yes. Step 2 is a built-in pause of 30 minutes: "Wrap both and chill 30 minutes." Do everything up to that point ahead of time and pick up at step 3 when you are ready to finish.

Serve it with

Roy Rogers drink
Mint Julep drink

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