I don’t understand how this occurred however I realised that certainly one of my all favorite autumn issues is lacking from this weblog. I’ve not but revealed a recipe for an apple pie, which I really like. I don’t understand how I missed that, my honest apologies and I’m dashing to recitify this oversight with at this time’s recipe.
My apple pie is an easy affair of crispy shortcrust pastry and candy and bitter cinnamon scented apple filling. It’s actually not that arduous to make, particularly if – like me – your rope in your meals processor to make the pastry for you. The pie doesn’t require a blind bake and I pre-cook the apples solely only for a couple of minutes to make sure there aren’t any gaps beneath my pastry as soon as they shrink within the oven.
MORE ABOUT FILLING INGREDIENTS
APPLES: I actually like a little bit of a tang in an apple pie so I’ve opted for Bramley cooking apples – the most well-liked cooking apple selection within the UK – in mine. Bramley apples are relatively bitter and prepare dinner quick so by the point the pie has absolutely baked they have a tendency to soften into one another – there aren’t any distinct apple items left. I occur to love that, however should you don’t use an consuming selection that doesn’t disintegrate fairly so simply. My second apple alternative can be Granny Smiths.
CORNFLOUR / CORNSTARCH: a small quantity of cornflour (or cornstarch should you reside within the US) is required to soak up apple juices and to thicken the filling. You may exchange it with tapioca starch or arrowroot in concept, however I haven’t tried both of them on this context.
CINNAMON: I really like the mix of apples with cinnamon in an apple pie so I’ve opted to make use of cinnamon by itself, however you might add different spices too should you desire. Ginger, all spice, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves would all work rather well. I personally solely like a contact of cloves as they have a tendency to overpower simply however use your judgement.
LEMON: my apples had been actually fairly bitter so I didn’t really feel the necessity to add any lemon juice, but when yours are candy add a tablespoon or two to steadiness the sweetness and to brighten up the filling. I did add a small amout of lemon zest for a pop of citrusy flavour although.
SUGAR: I used a mixture for caster sugar and lightweight muscovado sugar, which add a fragile caramel like flavour, however you should utilize any sugar your like.
VEGAN BUTTER: a small quantity of vegan butter retains the filling moist and indulgent. I used a vegan butter block Naturli, however coconut oil (I like to make use of fragrance free type ) works properly too.
VANILLA: a contact of vanilla is all the time good so as to add to a dessert however as there may be cinnamon and lemon zest right here already, you may skip should you don’t have any readily available.
MORE ABOUT PASTRY INGREDIENTS
FLOUR: I used all objective (also called plain) flour to make the pastry. When you want to make the pastry gluten-free, use a dependable gluten-free flour combine that has a great portion of starches, which assist to maintain gluten-free flours supple.
XANTHAN GUM: a small quantity of xanthan gum is required to maintain gluten-free pastry versatile.
SUGAR: I used superfine white sugar (often known as caster within the UK) as its small particles soften into the pastry simply throughout baking. A superb alertnative can be icing sugar / confectioners sugar – you’ll want 50 g or 1/3 cup of it.
VEGAN BUTTER: good high quality vegan butter that is available in a stable block (not the spreadable sort, in a bath) is essential to a great vegan shortcrust pastry. I used Naturli, which is salt free. You too can make an important vegan pastry with coconut oil if that’s what you like (I like to make use of fragrance free coconut oil )
Pulse all pastry substances (other than water) a few instances till the combination appears to be like pebbly, i.e. there aren’t any chunks of butter left. Subsequent, pulse the combination while trickling in ice chilly water till the combination begins to resemble breadcrumbs – add as little water as you will get away with, the much less water the higher your pastry shall be. The photograph on the suitable was taken after water has been added.
As soon as the combination is simply moist sufficient (with out feeling moist) to clump up in your palm, switch it to the counter and gently deliver it collectively along with your arms right into a disc – don’t knead! Refrigate for at the very least 60 minutes to chill out the gluten and hold the pastry tender.
Peel, quarter or reduce into eights (in case your apples are actually huge like mine) and core your apples and slice into thick slices.
Add apple slices to some melted butter, then stir dry substances into the apples utilizing a spatula. Prepare dinner for about 8 minutes, till the apples have softened and the sugar and butter become a gooey caramel-like sauce.
Roll 2/3 of the pastry right into a spherical slighly larger than your pie dish, line the pie dish with the pastry then fill with chilly apple filling.
Roll of the remainder of the pastry and reduce fourteen 2 cm / 0.75″ huge strips out of it. Organize the primary seven on prime of the pie the weave the remaining seven between them – see methodology.
Glaze the lattice prime, defend the sides with a strip of tin foil and bake till the pastry is golden and the apples are effervescent fortunately of their juices.
APPLE FILLING
- approx. 1.2 kg / 42 oz Bramley (or different bitter) apples*
- zest of ½ lemon
- 20 g / 2½ tbsp cornflour / cornstarch
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- a great pinch of salt
- 50 g / ¼ cup caster sugar (or different sugar)
- 100 g / ½ cup gentle muscovado sugar (or different sugar)
- 2 tbsp / 25 g vegan butter (or coconut oil)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (non-obligatory)
PASTRY
- 375 g / 3 cups all objective flour or GF flour mix
- ¾ tsp xanthan gum (provided that utilizing GF flour combine)
- ¾ tsp tremendous salt
- 50 g / ¼ cup caster (superfine) sugar
- 200 g / 7 oz (1 cup) vegan butter (or coconut oil)
- 75-90 ml / 5-6 tbsp ice chilly water
- GLAZE: 8 g / 2 tsp gentle muscovado dissolved in 30 ml / 2 tbsp plant milk & 5 ml / 1 tsp oil
METHOD
APPLE FILLING
- Peel your apples, reduce into quarters (or eights in case your apples are huge like mine), core and slice into 0.5 cm / 0.25″ slices. If utilizing candy apples, sprinkle them with some (1-2 tbsp) lemon juice.
- In a small bowl mix cornstarch, cinnamon, salt and each sugars – that is particularly essential if utilizing moist sugar like muscovado, which tends to clump up – utilizing a fork work the substances into one another properly.
- Add vegan butter to a heavy backside giant pot and soften it on a low warmth.
- Add apple slices and vanilla extract (if utilizing). Utilizing a large silcone spatula gently combine the apples into the melted butter, then stir dry substances into the apples.
- Prepare dinner on a low warmth whereas stirring gently the entire time in order that the sugar doesn’t catch.
- Prepare dinner till the apples are solely simply softened (about 8 minutes for Bramley apples) and the dry substances and butter flip right into a thick caramel-like sauce. Quiet down fully.
PASTRY
- Mix the flour, icing sugar, salt and xanthan gum (if making GF pastry) within the meals processor bowl. Alternatively, you may make the pastry by hand – see photos here.
- Chop vegan butter (or coconut oil) into small items and add it to the dry substances. Pulse the machine just a few instances to chop the fats into the flour.
- Regularly trickle in ice chilly water whereas pulsing the combination. You’ve added sufficient water when the combination begins to resemble breadcrumbs and clumps collectively in your hand when squeezed however doesn’t really feel moist – you need to add as little water as potential.
- Switch the pastry combination out of the meals processor. Gently press the dough collectively along with your arms right into a disc, however don’t knead – deal with as little as you may or else your pastry shall be robust.
- Wrap the pastry in a bit of cling movie and chill within the fridge for at the very least 60 minutes or so long as you want.
- Take away the dough from the fridge, reduce one third of the dough off and return to the fridge.
ASSEMBLY & BAKING
- Pre-heat the oven to 200° C / 390° F and place a pizza stone or an old school metallic tin in the course of the oven. Put together a protracted double strip of kitchen foil to wrap across the edges of the pie to stop them from browning too shortly.
- Roll larger portion of the pastry out on a frivolously floured floor till the pastry is about 3-4 mm / 1/8″ in thickness and slighly bigger then your pie pan. Line the pan with the rolled pastry so that there’s a small overhang. Pierce the pastry with a fork throughout.
- Fill the pie with chilly apple filling, distribute them evenly to keep away from gaps.
- Roll out the remaining pastry right into a 24 cm / 9.5″ lengthy rectangle on a frivolously floured floor, utilizing a knife or a pastry cutter reduce fourteen 2.5 cm / 1″ huge strips.
- Organize the the primary seven strips of pastry on prime of the filling in a single course. Be certain the strips aren’t streched to permit the filling to rise and fall (throughout and after baking).
- Pull again each second strip half manner and place one strip perpendicular to the remaining. Return the pulled again strips to the place they had been.
- Pull again alternating strips (those that stayed down final time) and place one strip perpendicular to the remaining. Return the pulled again strips to the place they had been. Proceed on this method till you’ve coated your complete pie.
- Press the lattice strips to the sides of the pastry along with your fingers or a fork and trim the surplus pastry with a pointy knife – depart a teeny tiny overhang over the sting of the dish as pastry will shrink a bit of throughout baking.
- Mix glaze substances in a small bowl and glaze the lattice with a pastry brush. Wrap kitchen foil loosely across the egdes to stop them from browing too quick.
- Bake for half-hour, then lower the temperature to 190° C / 375° F and keep on baking till the pastry is golden and the filling effervescent – roughly one other half-hour.
- Permit the pie to accept 2-3 hrs earlier than chopping. Devour on the day ideally or retailer in an air-tight container out of the fridge (at cool temperature) for as much as 2 days if wanted.
NOTES
PIE PAN: I used 23 cm / 9″ pie pan that’s 3 cm / 1.2″ deep. If utilizing a deep pie pan, you’ll need to double the quantity of filling.
NUTRITIONAL INFO
*per 1 out of 16 servings
