Apple and clotted cream pie

1 HOUR 50 MINUTES + RESTING | SERVES 8 A LITTLE EFFORT

Braeburn apples 8 large (about 1kg) clotted cream 1Ω x 227g tubs (340g) lemon 1, zested golden caster sugar 50g nutmeg a generous grating cornflour 2 tbsp vanilla extract 2 tsp egg 1, beaten, for glazing PASTRY plain flour 300g, plus extra for dusting golden caster sugar 2 tbsp unsalted butter 225g, chilled and cut into 1cm cubes apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp

• To make the pastry, put the flour, sugar, butter and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl and rub together with your fingers until you have rough crumbs and no butter lumps bigger than the size of a pea. Mix the vinegar with 6 tbsp of ice-cold water, then use a round-bladed knife to quickly mix most of the liquid into the flour. Use your hands to bring together the dough into a shaggy ball, kneading as little as possible. Dribble over the last of the water if you have too many dry bits. Knead a couple of times on a worksurface to smooth the dough, then halve into 2 round discs. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 2 hours.

• Peel and core each apple, then cut into 1cm slices. Put into a large bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover them by a few centimetres, then leave for 10 minutes.

• Meanwhile, scrape the buttery crust from the clotted cream and save as a chef’s treat. Mix the rest of the cream with the lemon zest, sugar, nutmeg, cornflour and vanilla.

• Drain the apples, then tip onto kitchen paper and use more to pat them dry.

• On a floured worksurface, roll out 1/2 the pastry to a circle big enough to line a deep 20-22cm pie dish. Use a rolling pin to lift the pastry into the dish and press down well (leave the overhanging pastry for now).

• Spread a thin layer of the cream mixture over the base and sides of the pie. Tip in 1/3 of the apples, and dot over 1/3 of the remaining cream. Repeat twice more until the dish is full. Roll out the second ball of pastry to a 25cm-wide circle and carefully place on top of the pie dish, covering the filling, and press the pastry firmly around the rim to seal. Trim the excess pastry around the dish (crimp the edges, if you like), then put the pie in the freezer to rest for 15 minutes. Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7.

• Brush the top and edges of the pie with beaten egg, then use a small, sharp knife to poke through steam holes in the middle. Put the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, then lower the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3 and bake for another 50 minutes. Cool to room temperature before serving.

PER SERVING 723 KCALS | FAT 51.6G SATURATES 31.9G | CARBS 56.4G | SUGARS 23.3G FIBRE 3.7G | PROTEIN 5.7G | SALT 0.1G