My first attempt at baking an apple pie magically conjured up this lovely , aromatic of what became our breakfast that morning. I baked this late one night last month, and putting it in the oven at midnight, I went to dreamland with dreams of the children tracking the whiff of cinnamon treading on white fluffy clouds.
The next morning,sceptic and realizing that I should have a baked pie in the oven , I gently pry open the oven door to discover to my delight, my first successful apple pie !
Baking pie is a rather straightforward technique but if you don't get the dough right the first time (like mine), don't fret. Trial and error helps you to learn and as they always say, practice makes perfect.
Apple Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Filling:
. 6 green cooking apples
. 6 tbsp sugar
. 50g butter
. 1/2 tsp cinnamon
. Rind of 1 lemon
. Juice of 1/2 lemon
. 4 tbsp water
. 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp water
Pastry:
. 450g plain flour
. 225g butter
. 1/2 tsp salt
. 3 tbsp icing sugar
. 2 egg yolks
. 4 tbsp cold water
Method
Filling:
(Preheat oven now at 180 oC for 1/2 hour)
1. Peel, core and cut apples to bite-sized pieces.
2. Heat saucepan with butter, add apples and toss for 1 minute.
3. Add the rest of the filling ingredients, and cook for another 2 - 3 minutes.
4. Thicken with cornflour mixture. Leave to cool.
Pastry:
1. Sieve flour,salt and icing sugar. Rub cold butter ( cut into small pieces ) into the flour mixture with fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs.
2. Mix water with egg yolks, then mix liquid mixture into flour. Bring the dough together with hand, but do not over-knead, as pastry will toughen.
3. Place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
4. Divide the pastry in two. Roll both portions into 3mm thick layers to the size of greased pie dish. Lay one into pie tin/pan. Fill with the apple mixture.
5. Lay the remaining over the apple mix, with the edges of the two pastry layers meeting.
6. Dampen between edges then crimp with a fork and brush with about 1/2 beaten egg white (leftover from the yolks used for pastry).
7. Bake in 180 oC oven for 45 minutes.
Tips :
I found that the 4 tbsp of water for kneading the dough is incapable of working the flour to a decent consistency for laying the pastry. Lack of water produces crumbles when I believe the dough should be like that of my kids' Playdough plasticine . Add a little water gradually until the dough is stretchy and 'strong' to be draped on the pie pan.
For more tips and troubleshooting : http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sundays-Apple-Pie/Detail.aspx
Reference:
This simple recipe is on page 10, the September 2008 issue of The Salvation Army War Cry magazine.
Website : http://www.salvationarmy.org.sg/
For a copy of the magazine, email: editorial@SMM.salvationarmy.org
