Well this is a post I didn't think I'd be writing this week!
But what do you do when a juice detox goes pear shaped? (Sorry I couldn't resist)
You make Apple Pie of course!
I didn't have high expectations as last time I tried apple crumble it didn't go too well, it was ok but not great.
And I was even making the the pastry from scratch.
Also as I had two little helpers this could probably go into the records books as the longest time to make apple pie ever recorded :)
But I have to say it was delicious and I was very pleasantly surprised.
Here's the recipe I followed:
serves 6
Ingredients
- for the pastry
- • 250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- • 50g icing sugar
- • sea salt
- • 1 lemon
- • 125g cold butter, plus extra for greasing
- • 2 large eggs
- • a splash of milk
- for the filling
- • 5 eating apples (I used my left over Golden Delicious)
- • 3 tablespoons Demerara sugar
- • ½ a lemon
To make your pastry
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4
From a height, sieve your flour into a large mixing bowl
Add the sugar, a pinch of salt, and finely grate over the zest of the lemon
Cut the butter into cubes, then add to the bowl
Use your fingertips to gently work the butter into the flour and sugar until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs
Crack the egg into the bowl with a tiny drop of milk and gently mix with your hands until the dough comes together
Wrap it in clingfilm and pop in the fridge to rest while you make the filling
To make your filling
Peel all of your apples (do not nearly slice off your little finger like I did)
Cut the eating apples into eighths, get rid of the cores
Add all the apple pieces to a small pan with the sugar
Finely grate over the zest of half a lemon, then squeeze in a little juice
Toss to mix then put the pan on a medium low heat
Simmer gently until the apples are just tender
Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely
To make and cook your pie
Dust a clean work surface and rolling pin with flour
Divide your pastry dough into two and roll out one half until ½cm thick
Carefully roll your pastry around the rolling pin, then unroll it carefully over a 20cm pie dish
Ease the pastry into the dish, making sure you push it into all the sides
Don’t worry if it tears or breaks – just patch it up – it will look nice and rustic
Pack the apple mix tightly into the pie dish
Separate your remaining egg and beat the yolk with a splash of milk and brush over the pastry rim
Roll out the other piece of dough until ½cm thick
Carefully roll the pastry around the rolling pin, then unroll it over the top of the pie
Fold the excess pastry back in then pinch and crimp the edges together using your finger and thumb
small incisions in the centre of the pie to let steam escape as it cooks
Bake in the hot oven for 40 to 45 minutes until golden and firm to the touch
Serve with custard, fresh cream or ice cream
Serve and enjoy
