CLASSIC APPLE PIE

PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 45 MINUTES (+ REFRIGERATION) SERVES 8

10 medium apples (1.5kg)

½ cup (125ml) water

¼ cup (55g) caster sugar

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 egg white

1 tablespoon caster sugar, extra

SWEET SHORTCRUST PASTRY 1 cup (150g) plain flour

½ cup (75g) self-raising flour ¼ cup (35g) cornflour

¼ cup (30g) custard powder 1 tablespoon caster sugar

100g cold butter, chopped coarsely 1 egg yolk

¼ cup (60ml) iced water

1 Make sweet shortcrust pastry.

2 Peel, core and slice apples thickly. Place apple and the water in a large saucepan; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until apple softens. Drain; stir in sugar, rind and cinnamon. Cool.

3 Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan. Grease a deep 25cm pie dish.

4 Divide pastry in half. Roll one half between two sheets of baking paper until large enough to line pie dish. Lift pastry into dish; press into base and side. Spoon apple mixture into pastry case; brush edge with egg white.

5 Roll remaining pastry until large enough to cover filling; lift onto filling. Press edges together; trim away excess pastry.

Brush pastry with egg white; sprinkle with extra sugar.

6 Bake pie for 20 minutes. Reduce oven to 180°C/160°C fan; bake for a further 25 minutes or until golden brown.

SWEET SHORTCRUST PASTRY

Process dry ingredients with butter until crumbly. Add egg yolk and the iced water; process until combined. Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes.