Apple Pie

Crust

1 ¼ cups plain flour

¼ cup icing sugar

3 oz butter, cut into pieces

2 egg yolks, lightly beaten    (save egg whites*) 

1 tablespoon iced water (a little more, if needed


Filling

12 cooking apples (Granny Smith apples are excellent for pies)

1 2/3 oz butter

¼ cup soft brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp allspice

1 egg white*

1 tsp caster sugar

Preheat oven to 415 degrees F.  Brush the rim and inside of a 9 inch pie dish with melted butter.  Sift flour and sugar into a large bowl, add the butter pieces.  Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture is fine and crumbly.  Or, you can do this with a fork or pastry tool. 

 

Add the yolks, mixing with a knife or fork to form a dough, adding water only as needed.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead together until smooth.

 

Roll the pastry dough out on a baking parchment to 11 inch round.  Trim a ½ inch edge of dough into strips.  Carefully slide dough into pie dish.  Cover and refrigerate pie dish and dough strips.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling.  Peel and core apples, cut each into 8 slices.  Melt butter in a large skillet.  Add the brown sugar and spices.  Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves, add apples and toss to coat.  Cover and cook for 8 minutes.  Remove lid and cook about 2 more minutes.  While apples are cooking, remove crust from refrigerator and pierce with fork a few times.  Place empty pie crust into oven and bake about 8-10 minutes.  Remove and allow to cool.

 

Place cooled apples into pie crust and place dough strips over apples in overlapping manner.  Pinch edges together to seal.  *Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with caster sugar.  Bake pie for 35-40 minutes on a baking sheet.  Pie should be golden brown in color.  Enjoy with a side of vanilla ice, or whip cream, or custard.