APPLE PIE

Apple pie has been there since a long long time and it needs no introduction. This is a basic apple pie recipe with my own little improvisation. It requires firm apples, lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon for filling. For the crust we need ice cold butter, all-purpose flour, salt, sugar and water.

We will be using the apple marinade, fluid to make an apple pie sauce.

While making the pastry remember that the pastry dough should always be chilled and avoid getting it to room temperature or more. The given recipe makes two pastry sheets for the pie. We need a 9 inches pie dish. I have used a lose flan aluminium pie dish. A ceramic pie or oven proof dish also works fine.

I have thinly sliced the apples. If you wish you can go for smaller pieces (not very thick). Some recipes have nutmeg in them. Personally, I feel apple and cinnamon need no other spices.

Recipe for Apple pie 

Ingredients for Apple pie

For crust

• 2 ½ cups maida or all-purpose flour
• 1 cup or 225gms unsalted butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ¼ cup ice cold water (keep ¼ cup more water in reserve which may be required)

For filling

• 6 apples (peeled and thinly sliced)
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon powder
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp maida or all-purpose flour

• 1 tbsp melted butter (for brushing)
• 1 tsp sugar (for sprinkling)

How to make

In a mixing bowl take the flour, salt, sugar and butter.

Mix lightly with your finger tips.

Rub the mixture between the palms to form a coarse texture.

Add ¼ cup of ice cold water and mix well with fingers. Pinch some flour to check if it holds well.

If required add 2 tablespoons of water and bring together the dough (add 2 more tablespoons of water if required).

Divide the dough in two equal portions, wrap them in cling film. Keep in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Put the sliced apples, lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.

Toss so that the sugar and cinnamon coats well on the apple slices.

Sprinkle a tablespoon of maida or all-purpose flour.

Keep aside for 10 minutes. Apple marinade juices will get collected at the bottom of the bowl.

Now remove one pastry dough from refrigerator and roll into a circle of 12 inches diameter. Roll it on the cling film only so that it is easy to handle the rolled pastry sheet.

Roll the dough to a size, an inch larger than the pie dish.

Gently transfer the pastry sheet to the pie dish. Trim off the extra dough.

Now spread in the apple cinnamon filling. Strain the apple pieces well while doing so. The juices will make the pastry soggy.

Roll the other sheet into a circle of 12 inches. Cover the pie.

Tuck in the extra pastry as shown in the picture.

Brush with melted butter and sprinkle sugar over it.

Make incisions which will help the steam to escape.

Sprinkle some sugar over the pie. Bake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes at 200 degree Celsius.

Simmer the marinade juices on low heat until it thickens. Stir continuously. Apple cinnamon sauce is ready to be drizzled on the apple pie.

Serve the apple pie with vanilla ice cream and apple cinnamon sauce.