How to Cut an Apple Pie Into 6 Pieces Using Pi (π) ?

With six around the table, nothing starts a war quicker than a badly cut cake. After years of drama over a slice that was just a little too generous, I've decided to cut... literally. With a little trigonometry and a pinch of π, I've found the method for perfectly fair shares.

Spoiler: it's life-changing.

So what are you waiting for? Get your knives !

Kitchen Equipment :

1. A salad bowl
2. A scale
3. A spoon for mixing
4. Apple peeler and slicer
5. A fork

The Ingredients :

1. A few apples
2. 300g flour
3. 100g cold water
4. 90g soft butter
5. 25 g sugar
6. 1/2 sachet baking powder
7. Some brown sugar

Cutting equipment :

1. A simple knife

Let’s start by preparing the pie crust!

Using a scale, weigh all your ingredients, except the apples. No need to stress, the key is getting the important ingredients right so the recipe turns out delicious! For the exact quantities, check out the "Supplies" section.

Tips : If your butter is not soft, put it in the microwave for a few seconds!

Mix the flour, sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl. Make sure everything is well mixed so the base is smooth and ready for the other ingredients!

Add the softened butter and water, then mix until you get a smooth and uniform dough. Don’t hesitate to use your hands to make sure everything is well combined and the texture is perfect!

Once you’re happy with the texture, shape the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest in the fridge for 1 hour. This resting time will allow the dough to relax and become even easier to work with!

In the meantime, take the opportunity to relax a bit, read a book, or even cuddle your pet... 😉 There’s no better way to pass the time while you wait!

I personally used that funny spiral-turning tool that peels and slices apples all at once (you know the one!), but a regular knife works just as well! The key is to get nice, thin slices.

Next, take the dough out of the fridge and roll it out into your prettiest tart pan!

Pro tip: prick the bottom with a fork to keep it from puffing up in the oven, it’s a simple trick, but it really works.

Then arrange the thin apple slices you’ve prepared on top of the dough, in the most beautiful spiral or pattern you can manage. Sprinkle a bit of brown sugar over the top before baking, so it lightly caramelizes in the oven — it’s a small touch, but it makes a big difference.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 180 °C (350 °F), until the crust is golden and the apples are soft. Keep an eye on the end every oven has its own mood!

Is your tart baked to perfection? Smells amazing? Looks mouthwatering? Perfect. Now let’s get to the heart of the matter: cutting this beauty! After all, we didn’t go through all this effort just to start a war at dessert time... Start by cutting your tart cleanly in half. Simple, neat, and drama-free — it’s the first step toward pastry peace.

Next, mark the middle of the cut-out you've just made, that's the center of your pie. Now, go to the halfway point, so. 3/4 of the way along the axis, and make a small, discreet mark on your tart. From this mark, imagine a line running straight outwards, perpendicular to your first cut. Don't panic if this sounds complicated: basically, you're drawing an offset cross... and everything will become clearer in the next step!

From the mark you made on the edge of the dough, cut through to the center of the tart. You should now have a clean cut from the edge to the center, following the perpendicular line you marked earlier.

Then, repeat steps 10 and 11 on the other side of the tart.

And voilà, you can now see six perfectly equal slices forming before your eyes! A big thank you to π and maths for making this possible. Pretty magical, right?

NB : This worked because 360° = 2π rad and so 60° = π /3 rad and cos(π/3rad) = 0.5

Now you can enjoy your slice of tart, knowing that each bite is perfectly balanced, thanks to a little trigonometry and a dash of math genius! I hope you enjoyed this culinary adventure as much as I did. There's nothing like a bit of precision to make every moment a little sweeter, right?

If you liked this method, feel free to share your experience, ask questions, or let me know how you’ve become a tart-cutting expert! Grab your knives, and enjoy your tart!