There is nothing more delicious than a slice of apple pie and now as apples are coming into season, the time is perfect to make a lovely pie. The perfume of the cinnamon when the pie is baking will fill your home and nothing beats the taste of  home made apple pie.

 Apple Pie with Cinnamon

Ingredients:

Pastry:

• 2 cups of Plain Flour
• 85 g butter
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 9 tblsp  chilled water

Pie:

• 5 large Granny Smith apples
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 whole cloves
• 1/4 cup sugar extra
• 2 tblsp of extra sugar for sprinkling over the pie before baking

Method:

Pastry:

1. Sift the flour and salt
2. Rub the butter through the flour using finger tips till the mixture resembles breadcrumbs
3. Add the chilled water to the mix a little at a time stirring with a knife till the mixture forms a good dough
4. Wrap the dough in cling wrap and place in the fridge for 1/2 an hour to rest

Apple Mixture:

1. Wash the apples well and then core and slice the apples and place in a bowl
2. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon over the apples and mix well and cover while you roll out the pastry

Making up the pie:

1. Pre heat the oven to 200 C
2. Divide the dough into 1/3 and 2/3 pieces
3. Roll out the larger  dough piece into a round big enough to cover the pie dish
4. Roll out the smaller piece into a round big enough to cover the top of the pie
5. Transfer the larger round of dough with a rolling pin onto the pie dish
6. Gently press the dough into the shape of the pie dish making sure all bubbles are pressed out but taking care not to break the dough
7. With a fork prick the dough all over taking care not to pierce through the dough
8. Place a 1/4 cup of sugar over the bottom of the pie dish
9. Pile the prepared apple mixture into the pie dish, with more piled onto the middle (it will sink as the apple cooks and keep the fruit level
10. Place the three whole cloves at the centre top  of the pie
11. Brush around the edges of the pie dish with milk
12. Cover the pie dish with the second round of pastry
13. Press the edges down well all around and seal with a fork or the end of the handle of a teaspoon by pressing down around the edges to make a pattern and then trim around the edge of the pie plate with a sharp knife. (another way to make a decorative edge is to press the forefinger knuckle of the left hand all around the edge and then pinch and press with the thumb and forefinger of the right hand while pushing down on the indentation with the finger or knuckle of the left hand)
14. Roll together the scrap off cuts of pastry into a long strip 2-3 cm wide
15. Cut the strips on a diagonal making lozenge shaped pieces and score the pieces diagonally as shown to look like leaves
16. Brush the pie over with milk and place the “leaves” all over the pie
17. Make a hole in the centre of the pie as a vent
18. Brush over the leaves with milk and sprinkle sugar all over the pie
19. Dust cinnamon all over the pie

 

Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes on 200 C then lower to 180 C (170 C Fan forced) and bake for 25-35 minutes or until you see some liquid percolate out of the vent hole. Keep an eye from time to time from 20 minutes onwards, covering with foil if the crust is getting too dark.

The pie should be well browned.

Remove from the oven and rest the pie for at least 1/2 an hour before serving.

Serve with ice cream, custard or double cream and remember to remove the 3 whole cloves as you cut the pie. As they are a the centre top not far from the vent they should be easy to spot. In our family we call them the lucky clove if we miss any !

Thanks to Rod and Boris for the wonderful apples I used in this recipe and if you live in Western Sydney pay them a visit and get the best apples for making your pies and crumbles.