Like other crostatas and galettes, the base is puff pastry. You can buy ready-made pie crusts at the grocery store, or you can make your own flaky pie crusts at home. You’ll need to add a bit of all-purpose flour to dust the surface as you roll out the dough, but you can probably omit this if you’re piecing store-bought dough that’s already rolled out into a round ball. Murray chose Granny Smith apples for the filling. “This variety is very popular for making apple pies and tarts because its texture and flavor hold up well to the baking process,” Murray says.
To give this pie a strong maple flavor, the filling includes maple syrup and the top is sprinkled with maple sugar. The filling also includes a warming blend of brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter. Add some vanilla bean paste for added flavor (you can also replace the vanilla bean paste with vanilla extract if desired).