Firstly, I want to thank everyone for the fantastic response to my first
Cookery Corner post! I had such great feedback that I couldn't wait to post my next one!.
Today I'm going to be sharing my recipe for my
Dreamy Apple Pie - this wasn't going to be my next one, but I made this last week and posted about it on Twitter and got so many people asking for the recipe that I rearranged my recipe schedule to move this one up!
Dreamy Apple Pie
Ingredients:
For the Pastry
220 grams plain flour
40 grams caster sugar
2 tablespoons icing sugar
150 grams butter
1 medium egg
1 tablespoon ice cold water or a melted ice cube
pinch of salt
egg wash (1 medium egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of ice cold milk) and caster sugar to dust
For the Filling
Approx half a dozen medium sized apples (you can use cooking apples but I just used a bag of small value apples - approx 8 in a bag - from Morrisons)
80 grams butter
half a teaspoon of cinnamon
50 grams caster sugar
75 grams light muscavado or brown sugar
a generous handful of sultanas
Vanilla Extract
pinch of salt
1 large egg, beaten
Firstly, the secret to good pastry is to keep everything as cold as possible. about half an hour before making pastry I open the kitchen windows and put all the ingredients, including the bags of flour and sugar in the fridge. If I can fit them in I also put my food mixer bowl and rolling board in the fridge too. For the water, I let an ice cube melt instead of using actual water (just put two in a small bowl or ramekin in the fridge at this point too. Just before I start I run my hands and rolling pin under icy water too before getting the ingredients out of the fridge and making a start.
In a food processor pulse the flour, caster sugar, salt and icing sugar together
Cut the butter into cubes and add to the mixture along with the beaten egg and ice cold water - mix together in the processor (don't overmix, you should still be able to see flecks of butter in the mix)
Dust your board with plain flour and tip the mixture out of your bowl, knead gently for a minute or two until the mixture is smooth and firm
Make two balls from the pastry, one large and one small, set the small one aside and roll the large one out using it to line a baking or pie dish (I use a pyrex dish my Mother in Law gave me as I like a nice deep filled apple pie)
The small ball will be used to make the lid of your pie so just set it inside your dish for now and put the dish in the fridge for at least half an hour
For the Filling, peel and core the apples
Dice half the apples into small cubes
Put half of the butter into a saucepan and melt over a low heat, add the small cubes of apple and keep them moving gently over the heat with a wooden spoon until they become soft and are coated in butter.
Add half the caster sugar and brown sugar to the mixture along with the cinnamon and a drip of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt and leave to simmer for a minute or two
Tip the mixture into your food processor and pulse until the mixture is like a lumpy sauce - set aside
Using the same pan, add the other half of the butter, and sugars and melt together
Slice or largely dice the other half of your apples and add to the pan, stir until they just begin to go soft and are coated in the butter and sugar mixture - this should only take a couple of minutes, don't overheat or your pie filling will be too mushy
Remove from the heat and set to one side to cool
Stor the beaten egg and your sultanas into the first bowl of filling you set aside earlier, this should be cool by now (don't put it in while hot or your egg will start to cook and scramble - ick!)
Layer the sauce and the chunkier filling together in your pie case making sure to combine well
Roll out the lid of your pie and add to the top
brush with egg wash and sprinkle with caster sugar
bake for around 40 minutes on a medium heat (with my electric fan over I use 150) in a preheated oven until the pastry turns golden
Serve with ice cream, cream or simply on its own - pure heaven!
My top tips!
* with pies I always pierce around four tiny holes with a cocktail stick around the edge of my pie, its not noticeable but it allows the steam to escape through the filling keeping your filling hot and tender and your pastry top crispy and light without becoming soggy
* Don't be tempted to use too much cinnamon, it's only lovely if you use it quite sparingly otherwise it overpowers everything!
* if you don't like cinnamon try nutmeg instead
* Keep your pastry as cold as possible right up until its time to put it in the oven
* Adding a pinch of salt to your pastry may seem strange but it helps to enhance the sweet flavours, you won't actually taste it!
* a lot of pastry making is by eye, the basic rule is to use twice as much dry ingredient as wet ingredient but judge by eye and if it looks too wet add some flour and sugar, if it looks too dry add a touch more water or a splash of milk. Your pastry should be firm to touch, dry and easily kneadable without breaking apart.
I hope you love this as much as we do! Let me know what you think :o)
Thanks for popping by!
Sarah x
