A simple classic, this apple pie is proper comfort food. I associate this more with Autumn or Winter as it's such a lovely warming dish, but J requested it this week and it's not like I'm going to say no to apple pie just because it's June! Also, the Americans have it as a staple in their 4th July celebrations so perhaps I need to adjust my dessert habits.
Most apple pie recipes call for Bramley apples, which are a great option as their natural tartness balances well with the sugar and they sweeten up as they cook.
For me, any apple pie (or crumble for that matter - definitely an Autumn dessert btw) is incomplete without homemade custard. It's 100% worth making your own custard, trust me. But if you don't fancy custard, then you're odd... I mean, you can enjoy a slice of pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
For the filling:
1kg Bramley apples, diced
100g demerara sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
For the pastry:
225g unsalted butter
50g caster sugar
2 eggs
350g plain flour
Method
1. Dice the apples and place in a bowl, toss with the cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar. Cover and set to one side.
2. For the pastry, beat the butter and sugar together until combined. Add one egg, and one egg yolk (keep the white for glazing the pastry later). Beat together until it resembles scrambled eggs. Add the flour, a third at a time until the mix comes together. Form into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill for 30-45 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 190C. Once the pastry dough has chilled, separate two thirds of the mixture (keeping the remaining third wrapped so it doesn't dry out) and roll out into a circle large enough to fit a pie tin approx. 20cm diameter and 4cm deep. Smooth the dough around the edges of the tin, making sure there's a little bit of overhang. Add the apple filling to the pastry and spread evenly. Some liquid will have gathered at the bottom of the bowl - don't add this as you don't want soggy pastry! Roll out the remaining third of the pastry to form the lid of the pie. Use a little water to brush around the rim so the lid sticks. Trim the edge and make six cuts in the top (this is important for the steam to escape). Brush with the egg white, sprinkle with extra caster sugar and bake for 40-45 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.
4. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for a few minutes. Sprinkle with a little more sugar and serve with homemade custard.
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