Homemade Apple Pie
Total cook time: 2hrs 30 mins
Serves: 8
Ingredients:
- 1kg Bramley apples
- 140g golden caster sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 3 tbsp flour
For the pastry
- 225g butter, room temperature
- 50g golden caster sugar, plus extra
- 2 eggs
- 350g plain flour, preferably organic
- softly whipped cream, to serve
Method:
Step 1: Start by preparing your apple filling. Place a layer of paper towels on a large baking sheet and then quarter, core, peel and slice the apples about 5mm thick and lay evenly on the baking sheet. Put paper towels on top and set aside while you make and make the pastry.
Step 2: For the pastry, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until just mixed, then break in 1 whole egg and a yolk of another (keep the white for glazing later). Beat together for just under 1 minute – it will look a little like scrambled egg.
Step 3: Now work in the flour with a wooden spoon, a third at a time, until it’s beginning to clump up, then finish gathering it together with your hands. Gently work the dough into a ball then wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for around 45 minutes.
Step 4: Now mix the sugar, the cinnamon and flour for the filling in a bowl that is large enough to fit the apples in later.
Step 5: Once the pastry has chilled, remove from the fridge and then heat your oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Cut off around a third of the pastry and keep it wrapped while you roll out the rest. Roll out the pastry to around 20-22cm in diameter and 4cm deep – ensuring to leave a slight overhang.
Step 6: Roll out the remaining pastry into a circle about 28cm in diameter. Pat the apples dry with kitchen paper, and tip them into the bowl with the cinnamon-sugar mix. Give a quick mix with your hands and immediately pile high into the pastry-lined tin.
Step 7: Brush a little water around the pastry rim and lay the pastry lid over the apples pressing the edges together to seal. Trim the edge with a sharp knife and make 5 little slashes on top of the lid for the steam to escape.
Step 8: Lightly beat the left over egg white with a fork and then brush the pastry with it, before sprinkling with a little caster sugar. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until golden.
Step 9: Remove the pie from the oven and let it sit for around 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle with more sugar and serve warm with softly whipped cream or ice cream.
Recipe inspired by BBC Good Food.
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