Classic apple pie
YOU WILL NEED
500g ready-made shortcrust pastry 1 egg, lightly beaten For the apple filling 4 cooking apples, peeled and cored 4 dessert apples, peeled and cored juice of 1 lemon 2 tsp ground cinnamon 60g soft light brown sugar 115g caster or granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling 2 tbsp plain flour, plus extra for dusting 1 tsp pure vanilla extract a pinch of salt 60g butter, cubed
DIRECTIONS
■ Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas Mark 6. Grease a 23cm round pie dish.
■ Divide the pastry in half. Roll out one half out on a lightly floured work surface into a circle just larger than your pie dish. Carefully move the pastry into the dish and press it in so that it fits snugly. Brush the inside of the pastry with some beaten egg.
■ Cut the apples into slices. Place them in a bowl and stir in the lemon juice. Add the cinnamon, sugars, flour, vanilla extract and salt and toss together with your hands so everything is well mixed.
■ Place the apples into the pastry case and dot the top of the fruit with the cubes of butter. Brush the outer edge of the pastry case with some beaten egg.
■ Roll out the remaining pastry into a circle just larger than your pie dish and place over the apples. Press the edges of the pastry base and lid together with your fingers. Roll a patterned pastry tool around the edge if you want to create a pattern. Trim away any excess pastry using a knife. You can re-roll the trimmed pastry and cut out leaf shapes to decorate the top of your pie, if you wish.
■ Brush the top of the pie with the remaining beaten egg and sprinkle with caster/granulated sugar. Cut a slit in the pie lid to let any steam out during cooking.
■ Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 160°C/Fan 140°C/Gas Mark 3 and bake for about 45 minutes more, until the pie is golden brown and the apples are soft.
■ Remove from the oven and leave to cool for about 15 minutes, then serve immediately with custard or cream.