Classic Apple Pie from Scratch
A 23 cm (9 in) double-crust pie with a flaky all-butter crust and a cinnamon apple filling. The apples are macerated and their juice reduced to a syrup, so the filling sets without going soggy.
Ingredients
- 315 g plain (all-purpose) flour 2 ½ cups, spooned and levelled
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar 12 g
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 225 g cold unsalted butter 1 cup / 2 sticks, in 1.5 cm / ½ in cubes
- 90–120 ml ice water 6–8 tbsp
- 1.3 kg apples 3 lb, about 7 medium, half tart and half sweet-firm, peeled, cored and sliced 6 mm / ¼ in thick
- 100 g light brown sugar ½ cup, packed
- 50 g granulated sugar ¼ cup
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp lemon juice 30 ml
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) 24 g
- 15 g butter 1 tbsp
- 1 large egg beaten with 1 tbsp / 15 ml milk or cream
- 1 tbsp coarse or granulated sugar 12 g
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, sugar and salt. Work in the butter until mostly pea-sized with some larger flat pieces. Mix in 90 ml (6 tbsp) ice water, adding more a tablespoon at a time until a squeezed handful holds together.
- Divide into two discs, one slightly larger. Wrap and chill at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days.
- Toss the apples with both sugars, spices, salt, lemon juice and vanilla. Leave 1 hour, stirring once or twice.
- Drain, saving the juice. Boil the juice with the butter 5–8 minutes until reduced by about half and syrupy. Toss the apples with the cornflour, then with the syrup.
- Put a heavy baking sheet on the lowest oven shelf and heat to 220°C (425°F).
- Roll the larger disc to 30 cm (12 in) and line the dish. Roll the second to 28 cm (11 in).
- Pack the apples into the base, mounding in the centre. Cover with the top crust, trim to 1.5 cm (½ in), fold under and crimp. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar and cut 4–5 steam slits.
- Bake on the hot sheet 20 minutes. Reduce to 190°C (375°F) and bake 45–55 minutes more, shielding the edges with foil if needed, until deep golden and the juices bubble thickly through the slits.
- Cool on a rack at least 3–4 hours before slicing.
Notes
Good apple pairs: Granny Smith with Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Jonagold, Pink Lady or Golden Delicious.
The filling must bubble before the pie comes out, or the cornflour won't thicken it.
Freeze unbaked: assemble without egg wash, freeze up to 3 months; bake from frozen 25 minutes at 220°C (425°F) then 50–60 minutes at 190°C (375°F).
Storage: room temperature, loosely covered, up to 2 days, then fridge 2–3 days more. Rewarm slices at 175°C (350°F) for 10–15 minutes.