Hot Apple Pie

What is it?

Rectangular and hand-held, this fried pastry pocket has a flaky, golden shell and a centre of warm apple pieces in cinnamon syrup. Served straight from the fryer, the filling can be molten and the crust crackles when you bite through. Unlike versions sold elsewhere that were baked, the Australian version is still deep-fried. Compared with the rest of McDonald's dessert lineup, it's more pastry than ice cream, and the filling leans sweet with a little spice rather than tart. Caution on the first bite is worth it, since the apple filling holds heat longer than you'd expect. It's been on the Australian menu for decades and remains one of the few fried desserts in fast food here.