Best Ever Apple Pie

I had a load of Bramley or cooking apples and was looking in all my recipe books to find a new recipe to try. I usually make a Dutch Apple and Cinnamon Cake which is a lovely light sponge with apple ontop, really yummy. I havent make an Apple Pie or Tart in ages so decided to try this recipe.

Pre heat oven to 170oC / gas mark 5

Ingredients

8 - 10 Bramley Apples
300g Blackberries (I used blueberries)
150 - 200g Caster Sugar

For the pastry

400g Butter
100g Caster Sugar
660g Plain Flour
2 Medium Eggs

For the coeliac pastry

600g rice flour
300g butter
75g caster sugar
2 egg yolks
2 - 3 tblsp chilled water

METHOD

To make the filling
Lightly grease a pie plate or loose bottomed tart tin, 24 - 26 x 3cm deep. Start by peeling and thickly slicing the apples then place in a heavy saucepan with a couple of tablespoons on cold water and the sugar and cook gently on a low heat for 5 - 8 minutes or until the apple is just starting to soften. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool slightly while you make the pastry.

To make the pastry
Beat the butter and sugar together until very soft and pale in colour, this will take about 8 - 10 minutes depending on electric beater used. Once the mixture is softened, tip in all the flour and very carefully mix until the butter and sugar have absorbed the flour. This is quite a sticky mix, so place a little extra flour on the work surface, remove the pastry from the mixer and gently roll it in the flour to make two balls one bigger than the other, that will be your base. Cover with cling film and refridgerate for up to 1 hour, no longer or it will become difficult to roll.

To assemble
Remove the dough from the fridge and on a lightly floured surface roll out the pastry into 2 discs, line the tin with the larger one pressing it down firmly in to the edges, leaving some pastry overhanging (you can trim later). Then fill with the fruit mixture adding the berries and extra sugar if needed.

Next, brush the edges of the pastry discs on top of the fruit and gently press the two pastry discs together. Trim the overhang, reserving the pastry trimmings. Crimp the edges with a fork or with your fingers. Brush the tart with some egg wash (beaten egg, some people add water to this, some just use the egg yolk for a richer colour) and sprinkle an extra table spoon on caster sugar ontop. You can decorate with some simple leaves made with the left over pastry scraps.

Bake the tart in the pre-heated oven for 45 - 55 minutes or until the pastry is golden and filling is bubbling and molten. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 - 15 minutes before serving.

To Serve

Deliscious with lightly whipped cream, vanilla ice-cream or home made custard.


*****Ideas for left over pastry***

Roll out, cut into rings and put jam/ lemon curd / passionfruit curd in the centre bake till golden brown, about 10 minutes (depends on thickness of pastry rolled.