Classic apple pie with home-made butter crust
8
Easy
40 minutes, plus 2 hours’ chilling time
45–55 minutes This is the apple pie everyone dreams about – crisp, flaky pastry made using cold butter and a filling that’s bright, warm and gently spiced. The apples stay tender without turning mushy, thanks to a mix of flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon. The crust can be prepared days ahead, making this pie perfect for weekend baking or entertaining. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or a splash of thick cream for the full nostalgic effect.
Ingredients
Method
-
For the pastry:
- 313 g flour, plus extra for dusting
- 2 t sugar
- 1 t salt
- 226 g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- ½ cup iced water For the filling:
- 8 apples, peeled and diced
- 2 T flour
- 2 T sugar
- salt, to taste
- ½ t ground cinnamon
- ¼ t ground nutmeg
- 1-2 T lemon juice
- 1 t lemon zest
Method
Ingredients
1 To make the pastry, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and cut it into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter, two forks or a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter.
2 Drizzle in the water 1 T at a time, stirring after each addition. Stop when the pastry clumps together easily – it should be moist and slightly sticky, not wet.
3 Transfer the pastry to a lightly floured surface and gently bring it together using your hands.
4 Divide into two equal portions, shape each into a 2.5 cm-thick disc, wrap tightly in clingwrap and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 5 days.
5 To make the filling, combine all the ingredients and mix until the apples are evenly coated. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
6 Roll out one disc of chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface and line an 23 cm pie dish with it. Spoon in the filling.
7 Roll out the second pastry disc and cut into strips for a lattice, or leave whole for a classic crust. Lay the strips or crust over the filling. Crimp the edges to seal using a fork, and make small incisions in the top if using a full crust.
8 Bake the pie for 45–55 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
Cook’s note: For extra shine, brush the top with milk or beaten egg before baking. A sprinkle of sugar adds crunch.
Recipe: Bianca Strydom
Photography: Shavan Rahim
Videography: Kaylene Sauls
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