THE Apple Pie
I’ve called this THE Apple Pie because 1) I think you only need one apple pie recipe in your life, and 2) it’s the one I made for my American Pie video. The first time I made it, I realised juices were a problem—even with apples. I thought tossing the apples in cornflour would solve it, but I was wrong. To avoid a soggy mess, I decided to precook the juices instead of the apples. This keeps the pie from dribbling when sliced, while preserving the flavor and texture. The filling is simple—just lemon, sugar, cinnamon, and apples—but it’s all you need. The only thing left to decide is how hot to serve it and what to pair it with.
Serves 12
Hands-on Time 45 minutes (plus Chilling/Resting)
Baking Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Ingredients
400g plain flour
165g caster sugar (divided)
1 lemon (zested and juiced)
250g unsalted butter (cold, cubed)
2 medium eggs (1 for the pastry, 1 for egg wash)
2 tsp cold water
1kg cooking apples (peeled, cored, and chopped)
1/4 tsp fine salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
50g cornflour (divided)
1 tbsp demerara sugar
Equipment
Mixing bowl
Micro-grater
Spoon
Baking parchment
Juicer
Knife
Small saucepan
Spatula
Baking sheet
Rolling pin
20cm pie tin
Small bowl
Pastry brush
Method
1. Make the pastry
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, 40g caster sugar, and lemon zest.
Add the cubed butter and rub it into the flour mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Add 1 egg and 2 tsp cold water. Mix with a spoon until a dough forms (add more water, 1 tsp at a time, if needed).
Wrap the dough in baking parchment and chill in the fridge for at least 60 minutes.
2. Prepare the apple filling
Toss the chopped apples in the lemon juice to prevent browning.
Add 125g caster sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Stir and let sit for 1 hour to release juices.
Pour the juices into a small saucepan, leaving the apples in the bowl.
Add 25g cornflour to the juices and stir over low heat until thickened.
Toss the apples with the remaining 25g cornflour, then mix in the thickened juices.
3. Assemble the pie
Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C (fan)/375°F/Gas Mark 5. Place a baking sheet in the oven to heat.
Roll out half the pastry on a floured surface to fit the pie tin. Line the tin, pressing the pastry into the edges. Patch any gaps with extra dough.
Spoon the apple filling into the pastry-lined tin.
Roll out the remaining pastry and either:
Cover the pie completely, trimming and crimping the edges, and cut a vent in the centre.
Create a lattice top by weaving strips of pastry over the filling.
Decorate with any leftover pastry if desired, using beaten egg to "glue" decorations.
Brush the top with beaten egg and sprinkle with demerara sugar.
4. Bake the pie
Bake on the preheated baking sheet for 15 minutes.
Reduce the temperature to 150°C/130°C (fan)/300°F/Gas Mark 2 and bake for another 50 minutes, or until golden and the apples are tender.
5. Serve
Enjoy warm or let cool before serving.
Tips
For a flaky crust, handle the pastry as little as possible and keep the butter cold.
If the edges of the pie brown too quickly, cover them with foil during baking.
Enjoy!
