Apple Pie Recipe

This pie has a tender pastry and a sweet, moist apple filling. It can be served hot, warm or cold. We serve the pie hot with whipped cream and vanilla ice cream.

Apple Filling
1kg (about 5 large) Granny Smith apples
74g (1/3 cup) sugar
1 teaspoon (5ml) water

Pastry
150g cold butter, roughly chopped
56g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
165g (1 cup plus 1 tablespoon) plain flour
85g (1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon) self-raising flour
1 large egg, lightly beaten (we use eggs with a minimum weight of 59g)
About 1 1/2 teaspoons caster sugar, for sprinkling on top of pie

Peel apples. Chop apples into quarters and remove the cores. Then chop apple into bite-sized chunks. (When using large apples, we chop each apple quarter into thirds, and then chop each piece in half.)

Place chopped apple, 74g sugar and water in a large saucepan. Cover saucepan and place over high heat. When the water in the mixture reaches a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer. Stir mixture every five minutes or so during the cooking time. The apple should take about 15 minutes to cook. Remove saucepan from heat when the apple has lost its crunch and is just tender when pierced with a knife.

Set filling aside to cool to room temperature, or store in the refrigerator until required. If refrigerating filling, allow it to come to room temperature before using.

Place butter, 56g caster sugar and flours in a food processor. Process ingredients on medium speed until the mixture resembles fine fresh breadcrumbs (about 25 seconds).

Add the egg and process until the egg is incorporated and the mixture clumps together (about 20 seconds).

Remove pastry from processor and divide it into two pieces, making one slightly larger than the other. Shape each piece of pastry into a disc.

Wrap discs individually in plastic wrap, or place them in freezer bags. Put pastry in the freezer for 20 minutes to allow it to firm up, making it easier to work with.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius (180 degrees Celsius fan-forced). Place oven shelf in the lowest shelf position in the oven (this is not necessary if you are using a fan-forced oven).

Grease a 23cm diameter (top inside measurement), 2.5cm deep pie dish with butter.

Place the larger piece of pastry between two sheets of baking paper and roll pastry out to form a 25cm diameter circle (pastry should be about 5mm thick). Remove the top sheet of baking paper. Lift the pastry, still on the baking paper, and invert it into the pie dish. Peel the baking paper away from the pastry and ease the pastry into the dish. Gently press the pastry into the dish, trying not to stretch the pastry. We do not extend the pastry onto the lip of the pie dish as we found that this part of the crust tended to break off when the pie was cut.

Roll out remaining pastry between two sheets of baking paper to form a 24cm diameter circle.

Spoon apple filling into the pastry case and smooth the surface of the filling with the back of a spoon.

Cover filling with pastry lid and press edges of pastry base and lid together. Using a sharp knife, trim edges of pastry and cut a 3cm slit in the centre of the lid. Sprinkle pie with about 1 1/2 teaspoons caster sugar.

Bake pie for 20 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius (180 degrees Celsius fan-forced), then reduce heat to 180 degrees Celsius (160 degrees Celsius fan-forced) and cook for a further 18 to 22 minutes, or until pastry is golden.

Remove pie from oven and set aside for 15 minutes to allow the pie to cool slightly, making it easier to slice and serve neatly. Cut pie into wedges and serve with whipped cream and/or ice cream.

Store pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The pie can be reheated in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius (160 degrees Celsius fan-forced). To freeze, wrap the cooled pie tightly in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container in the freezer. Thaw completely before reheating. © www.exclusivelyfood.com.au