Bulgarian Rustic Layered Dessert
Bulgarian Pie
Rustic Bulgarian pie layered with flour, semolina, sugar, grated apples and butter.
Nutrition (per serving)
This Apple Pie is a humble, old-school Bulgarian dessert that feels like a hug from the inside out. It’s built by layering one cup each of flour, semolina and sugar with piles of grated apples and dotted butter — no mixer or fancy technique required — and the result is a tender, slightly crumbly cake-like pie with pockets of caramelized apple.
I love this for its simplicity: it’s forgiving, quick to throw together, and perfect for when you want a cozy, homey dessert with minimal fuss. Serve it warm with a spoonful of yogurt or a scoop of vanilla ice cream and watch people fall in love with that crisp-tender top and juicy apple layers.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour:1 cup
- Semolina (fine):1 cup
- Granulated sugar:1 cup
- Apples, medium, peeled and grated:6 pieces
- Unsalted butter, sliced into small pats:12 tbsp
- Eggs, large:2 pieces
- Whole milk:1/2 cup
- Baking powder:1 tsp
- Ground cinnamon:2 tsp
- Salt:1/4 tsp
- Vanilla extract:1 tsp
- Lemon zest:1 tbsp
- Chopped walnuts or raisins (optional):1/2 cup
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch round or an 8x8-inch square baking dish and set aside.
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In a large bowl whisk together the flour, semolina, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt until evenly mixed.
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In a separate bowl beat the eggs with the milk, vanilla and lemon zest until combined.
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Spread about one-third of the dry mixture evenly in the bottom of the prepared dish. Scatter a generous layer of grated apples over the dry layer, then dot with a few tablespoons of the sliced butter and, if using, sprinkle some walnuts or raisins.
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Repeat the layering twice more: another third of the dry mix, apples, butter, then finish with the remaining dry mix and the last of the apples and butter pieces on top. The layering creates a slightly crumbly, cake-like top when baked.
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Pour the egg-and-milk mixture evenly over the assembled layers — it will sink through as it bakes and bind the crumb. Gently press down the top so nothing sticks up too high.
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Bake for 45–55 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10–15 minutes.
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Let the pie cool at least 20 minutes so the layers set slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature, with yogurt or vanilla ice cream if you like.
Tips & Notes
- Use firm, tart apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp) for the best texture and brightness — they hold up and balance the sweetness.
- Grating the apples by hand creates moist flakes that meld beautifully with the dry mixture; a food processor with the grater blade speeds things up if you're short on time.
- If you prefer a sweeter top, sprinkle a little extra sugar or cinnamon-sugar on the surface before baking.
- This dessert keeps well for 2–3 days refrigerated; rewarm slices briefly in a low oven before serving.
