Claire Style Apple Pie

Filling

3lb’s Apples (I will leave the apple choice to you, use your favorite apples, if you like sweet apples go with sweet, if you like tart go with tart, what ever takes your fancy)

2 teaspoons of Cinnamon for every 1lb of apples

1 cup of water for every lb. of apples

 

Short Crust Pastry

12oz Organic white all purpose flour

6oz salted or unsalted butter  (if you want an alternative to butter you can substitute with organic coconut oil)

¼ tsp. of salt

Between 6 and 8 tbsp. of cold water

1 egg for glazing the pastry

Directions:

Filling

  1. Prepare your apples. Peel and core them first then cut them into slices.
  2. Get a large saucepan and place your water 1cup for every 1lb of apples into your saucepan, bring the water to the boil and place your apple in the water. Turn the temperature down on you cooktop to the low medium range and allow the apples to cook until you see that some of the apples are softening and some are partially cooked, About 10 minutes.
  3. Now get your strainer out preferably one that has small holes. Now pour the apples with the water in the strainer until all the water has left the apples. Now put your apples back in the saucepan and add your cinnamon and stir well together. Now leave the apple to cool a bit while you go and make your pastry.

Pastry

  1. Start by sieving the flour in you mixing bowl. Now take your cold butter out and cut it up into small cubes and place it in the bowl with the flour.
  2. Taking your butter out of the fridge about 15 minutes before you want to make your pastry so it softens a little bit, if using coconut oil it is already good to use straight out of the jar at room temperature.
  3. Now pre heat your oven to 375oF or 200oC or Gas Mark 5
  4. Now sieve your flour into your mixing bowl
  5. At this point you have two choices you can either put your flour, butter and salt into your food processor and mix all together until the flour and butter look light and fluffy or you can do it the old fashioned way and Cut your butter into small cubes and place in your mixing bowl with the flour add your salt and gently rub both together.
  6. Rubbing flour and butter together.
  7. Your sifted flour and cubes of butter are now in your mixing bowl,
  8. Use your fingertips only and start to lift the pieces of butter into the flour and rub the flour and butter gently through your fingers. Be as gentle as you can in this processes, it does take a little time but will be well worth the extra effort. Keep lifting your hands high above the bowl while gently mixing the flour and butter together allow lots of air into your mixing, this will help your pastry be light and flakey when finally finished. Keep doing this process until all the flour and butter are all mixed together and look nice and crumbly.
  9. At this point you are ready to add your water.
  10. First get a measuring jug and fill with cold water, you then need to get a measuring tablespoon.
  11. Adding one tablespoon at a time slowly mixing the ingredients together using a round bladed knife or large metal serving spoon. Keep adding another tablespoon of water and mixing until all the ingredients are well mixed together. You will probably need one tablespoon for ever 2oz of flour but this step is really trial and error as each type of flour will have a different consistency and may need a little less or a little more water. Once all the ingredients are all mixed together, now use your hands to form a smooth round ball of dough that will leave the bowl clean.
  12. Now wrap your pastry ball in some Clingfilm for and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes, this will allow for the water in the pastry to fully expand.
  13. Rolling out the dough.
  14. First set up the things you need to make this happen.
  15. You will need a flat surface this could be your kitchen counter if its even or a proper pastry board.
  16. You will need extra flour in a bowl about 2 to 4oz.
  17. Now take your pastry out of the fridge and prepare an area with a covering of flour. This could just be your kitchen counter or I like to use a pastry board.
  18. For rolling pastry you need a flat surface this could be your kitchen counter or I like to use a proper pastry board.