Apple Pie from Scratch

Let's cook

1. 1

   Keep everything cold

   Rub the cold cubed butter into the flour, salt, and sugar until you have pieces ranging from breadcrumb to pea size. Add ice water a tablespoon at a time until it just holds together.

   💡

   Visible butter pieces are what create flaky layers. A smooth, uniform dough bakes up short and crumbly.

2. 2

   Chill the dough

   Divide in two, flatten into discs, wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

3. 3

   Pre-cook the filling

   Cook the apples with the brown sugar, lemon, cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter over medium heat for 10 minutes until they soften and release liquid. Stir in the cornstarch and cook 2 minutes more, then cool completely.

   💡

   Raw apples shrink as they bake and leave a hollow dome. Cooking them first solves this entirely.

4. 4

   Line the tin

   Roll one disc and line a 9-inch pie dish, leaving an overhang. Fill with the cooled apples, mounding slightly.

5. 5

   Lattice

   Roll the second disc, cut into strips, and weave over the top. Trim, fold the overhang under, and crimp the edge firmly.

6. 6

   Bake hot then moderate

   Brush with egg and scatter demerara. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 20 minutes, then reduce to 375°F (190°C) for 35–40 minutes until deep golden and bubbling at the centre.

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