We all scream for ice cream. It’s the time to start to think about desserts
for Thanksgiving. It’s time to take your desserts to the impressive level. It’s the moment where your in-laws begin to respect you for the chef that you are. It’s time for deconstructed apple pie with a scoop of brown sugar bourbon ice cream on top. I love the look of the ice cream melting down the side of the pie. The sweet flavor of bourbon and the flaky pie crust. One bite and you will be longing for more.
I am making brown sugar bourbon ice cream from scratch. This requires some equipment, I have a cuisin-art ice cream machine. I found it on Craigslist for $25 dollars. You can also try your local salvation army or any second hand store. This is a simple ice cream to make as long as you have time and a little bit of effort, if neither of those things apply to you, simply go to the store and get your favorite ice cream. Lame, but understandable. The bourbon of your choice will not have much effect on the flavor of your ice cream. Most times chefs will use whatever the bar has on well for the kitchen.
“Why the hell would you deconstruct an apple pie? IT’S A CLASSIC!” That’s what my friends have told me. I say because apple pie can be boring, so we use different but similar ingredients to spice it up a bit. Instead of traditional pie crust we are going with puff pastry, it’s flakier, lighter, and will leave room for you try the 8 other pies on your Thanksgiving table. Instead of baking all the ingredients together, everything is set up on the plate in a manner that allows each ingredient to speak for itself. It’s interactive. The apples are sautéed with ingredients that give it almost a caramel consistency. I chose Granny Smith apples because they hold shape. They don’t break down into mush like your Empire or Gala apples would. This gives the dish texture and when cooking it’s always important to pull your audience in; have them wondering and at the same time feel that the ingredients marry wonderfully.
Every year during the holidays we search for the best known recipes hoping that this year your pie will be the talk of the table. So why not try something unique, something different, something that will leave an impression. That is how I like to think when I am in the kitchen and how I encourage all of my peers to think. Even the most delicious classics can be made into a fun time for your dinner or dessert. Max and I have had so much fun making this dish and we hope yours turns out as good (or even better than ours.) So fill that plate up with adventure and let your mouth be the explorer!
Deconstructed Apple Pie With Brown Sugar Bourbon Ice Cream
Ingredients:
- Sheet of puff pastry
- 2 Granny Smith apples
- 1 pint of brown sugar bourbon ice cream
- powdered sugar
- Caramel (optional)
Ice Cream
Ingredients:
- ⅛ Cup White sugar
- ¾ Cup brown sugar
- 1 TBSP Bourbon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 Cup whole milk
- 6 egg yolks (Link on How to Separate).
- pinch of salt
Equipment:
- Measuring cups and spoons
- whisk
- mixing bowl
- small pot
- Ice cream Machine
Directions:
- Heat up your milk and heavy cream to a boil and then take it off the stove top
- Mix together your egg yolks, sugars, vanilla, and bourbon until sugar is evaporate
- Slowly pour in hot milk mixture a little at time stirring the mixture the whole time until it is all incorporated
- Refrigerate for 24 hours. This base can be made 2 days in advance.
- When ready pour your base into the ice cream machine and let the machine do its magic. Depending on the machine you get you should have ice cream in about 20 mins.
The Apple Filling
Ingredients:
- 2 Granny smith apples
- ⅛ Cup white sugar
- ⅛ Cup butter
- Pinch of salt
- 1 Tsp of ground cinnamon
Equipment:
- Chef knife
- Spatula
- Measuring spoons and cups
Directions:
- Slice up your apples into thin slices
- Heat up your butter in a saute pan on a medium flame
- When butter is all melted add your apples
- When the apples start to break down add your sugar and cinnamon
- Cook until butter and sugar have formed a sauce
- Set aside.
The Crust
Ingredients:
- Frozen puff pastry sheet
- Wax paper (optional)
Equipment:
- Cookie cutter (we got one shaped like an apple)
- baking sheet
Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
- Lay out your puff pastry to begin to thaw on your table
- Cut out your favorite shape with your cookie cutter
- Lay out your shapes on the baking sheet
- Bake for 10 mins
- Give yourself a high five!

Plating:
Take your puff pastry and gently split it in half so you have a top and bottom, placing the bottom half on a plate. Then take 2 scoops the apple filling and drape it across the bottom half of the puff pastry. Place the top half on the apple filling. Add one scoop of the ice cream and sprinkle some powdered sugar or drizzle some caramel. Serve to your friends and family to impress.
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