Apple Pie

There is nothing quite like an apple pie. It just makes the world seem like a better place. Feel free to experiment with different varieties of apple and adjust the sugar content accordingly. Everyone has a different palate.

Ingredients:

For the pastry:
9 oz plain flour (sifted)
4 oz soft butter
4 oz icing sugar (sifted)
1 egg

For the filling:
3 Bramley Apples - peeled, cored, halved and cut into 2cm chunks
6 Russet Apples - peeled, cored, halved and cut into 1cm slices
a knob of unsalted butter
4 oz of caster sugar
2 tspn of cornflour
seeds of 1 vanilla pod
1 egg - beaten

Method:

For the pastry:
Put the butter and icing sugar into a bowl and whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and flour and mix until just combined into a soft and slightly sticky dough. Turn out, wrap in cling film and chill for an hour before use. Can be made a day the day before.

For the filling:
1. Heat the butter in a frying pan and add the Russets. Add 1oz of caster sugar and cook until the apples have softened and the butter and sugar has formed a light caramel coating. Cool.

2. Toss the bramley apples with the cornflour, vanilla seeds and the remaining 3oz of sugar. Place in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook until softened but not colored. Pour into a bowl to cool, add the Russets and gently fold together.

3. Cut the pastry into two pieces, one piece twice the size of the other. Roll out the larger piece to around ¼cm thick and use to line a lightly buttered 10" pie dish but do not trim off the excess. Pack in the apples then brush the rim of the pastry with beaten egg.

4. Roll out the smaller piece of pastry to around ¼cm thick and place over the pie, pressing around the edge to seal. Using a sharp knife, trim the excess pastry then crimp the edges. The pie can be frozen at this point, for later use.

5. Brush the top with beaten egg, sprinkle very lightly with caster sugar and bake at 180°C/350°F/Gas 4 for 30 minutes.

I've seen apple pie with cinnamon, cloves, sultanas, orange zest, even cheddar cheese. Feel free to use any of them, it's a personal thing, but i prefer my apple pie to taste of apple. Serve with custard, ice cream, or cream.