‘EASY AS’ APPLE PIE

Preparation time 30 mins plus 1 hour chilling Cooking time 1 hour 10 mins Serves 12

3 cups plain flour

1 cup self-raising flour

Large pinch fine sea-salt flakes 11/4 cups milk, plus extra 1 Tbsp 175g unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

2kg Pink Lady apples

Juice of 2 lemons

1 cup water

1/2 cup raw sugar, plus extra 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp golden syrup

2 Tbsp cornflour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

STEP 1 Preheat oven to 150°C fan-forced (170°C conventional). Line an oven tray with baking paper. Sift flours and salt into a large bowl. Heat milk and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until just simmering, stand for 3 minutes, then add to flour mixture with vanilla and mix with fingertips until a dough forms.

STEP 2 Divide dough into 2 parts, one twice the weight of the other, and flatten both to discs between sheets of freezer plastic. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

STEP 3 Peel, core and dice apples, then toss with lemon juice, arrange on prepared tray and bake for 20 minutes, until lightly dry. Set aside. Put water, sugar and golden syrup in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil over high heat. Dissolve cornflour and spices in 1/4 cup cold water, then whisk in and simmer until thickened. Fold in apple.

STEP 4 Increase oven to 190°C fan-forced (210°C conventional). Roll out larger piece of pastry to a 35cm disc, then press into base and side of a 26 x 7cm deep fluted pie tin. Scatter in breadcrumbs, then spoon in apple filling. Roll out the other pastry disc to 26cm, drape over, then pinch the edge to seal. Make a small hole in the centre of the pie, then brush with extra milk, scatter with extra raw sugar, then bake for 40-45 minutes, until pastry is well browned and crisp. Serve.