My Favorite (British) Apple Pie
User Reviews
4.8
My Favorite (British) Apple Pie
Description
My Favorite (British) Apple Pie starts with a crust made from cold, unsalted butter, flour, sugar, and salt, gently pulsed and combined with ice water to create a flaky pastry. The filling consists of peeled, cored, and sliced Granny Smith apples cooked gently in a pot with lemon juice and sugar until just softened but still firm, preserving texture. The partially cooked apples are then placed into the rolled-out pastry case, topped with a second layer of pastry, sealed with a crimped edge, and vented with a small hole. The entire crust is brushed with an egg wash mixture to give a golden, slightly crisp finish during baking at 400ºF.
The pie is traditionally served with thick cream or custard, complementing the mildly sweet and tart apple filling and flaky crust. The cooking technique preserves the balance between a tender filling and crisp crust, making it a suitable dessert for occasions where a classic fruit pie is desired. The lemon juice in the filling adds brightness and preserves apple color during cooking.
For adjustments, the sugar amount can be varied to preference, including omitting sugar for a less sweet pie. The custard or cream served alongside is not included in nutritional calculations for the pie itself.
Ingredients
CRUST:
- ½ tsp salt
- 8 oz butter (cold, unsalted)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 4 cups flour
FILLING:
- 5 large apple peeled, cored, and sliced into about 12 pieces each (organic, Granny Smith variety
- lemon juice juice of half a fresh lemon
- 3 Tbsp sugar (more or less to taste)
GLAZE:
- 1 egg slightly beaten with 1 tsp. of water, to brush the pie crust, white
TO SERVE:
- thick cream or custard
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º F (200º C).
- Place all the ingredients for the filling in a pot over medium-low heat. Cook gently, turning the apples by tossing them in the pot every few minutes. Cook until the apples are just starting to become softened, but are still firm and hold their shape. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Put the flour, salt and butter in a food processor and pulse a few times. Add a little ice water and pulse again until the mixture starts to come together. The pastry is ready; roll out and place into pie dish.
- With a knife, trim the pastry all along the pie dish, using the edge as a guide, then fill it with the apples.
- Roll out the remaining piece of pastry; wet the edge with your finger dipped in a bowl of ice water, until the entire perimeter is wet, then place the pastry on top of the pie. Trim the pastry, using the dish as a guide.
- Crimp the edges any way you like and then cut a hole in the center of the pie, about 1″ long.
- Brush the entire crust with the beaten egg white, which will ensure a lovely golden color.
- Bake in 400º F (200º C) oven for about 30 to 40 minutes or until the crust is a golden brown color. Ovens vary significantly, but I place my pies on the lower rack for about 20 minutes, then move it to the center rack so that the bottom crust cooks well, however adjust your placement and baking time according to your own oven.
- When ready, remove from the oven and immediately dust with Baker’s (extrafine) sugar (caster sugar in the UK) and let cool slightly before serving.
- Our cream in the US is very runny, so to mimic double cream in the UK, I slightly beat the cream until it starts to thicken, then pour it over a slice of pie in a bowl.
- Alternately, a homemade custard or Bird’s custard is lovely when served over this delicious apple pie: quintessentially British!
Notes
- Adjust the sugar in the filling to taste or omit for a less sweet version.
- Serve the pie warm with thick cream or custard for a traditional accompaniment.
- The custard or cream serving is not counted in the nutrition facts of the pie.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 1pie
Amount Per Serving
Calories 4230 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 pie | |
| Calories | 4230kcal | 212% |
| Carbohydrates | 584g | 195% |
| Protein | 60g | 120% |
| Fat | 191g | 294% |
| Saturated Fat | 118g | 590% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 10g | 59% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 48g | 240% |
| Trans Fat | 7g | 350% |
| Cholesterol | 488mg | 163% |
| Sodium | 1264mg | 53% |
| Potassium | 1845mg | 39% |
| Fiber | 40g | 160% |
| Sugar | 166g | 332% |
| Vitamin A | 6280IU | 126% |
| Vitamin C | 54mg | 60% |
| Calcium | 200mg | 20% |
| Iron | 25mg | 139% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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