For the Pastry:
300 g flour
1 pinch salt
40 g caster sugar
225 g butter, cubed
1 egg
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For the filling:
100 g butter
2 1/2 tbsp flour
50 ml water
180 g golden caster sugar
1 kg bramley apples, peeled, cored & sliced
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp brandy
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp caster sugar
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Method:
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Preheat the oven to 200 fan, add a heavy baking tin to the shelf to be used to cook the pie to preheat.
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. Start by making the pastry. Add the flour, salt, and sugar to a food processor and blitz briefly to combine. Add the butter and blitz briefly until the mix resembles breadcrumbs. Then add the egg and blitz again, pick up some of the mixture and squeeze it, if it forms a dough it is ready if not add a tsp of cold water at a time and blitz again until squeezing it together forms a dough. (you can make the pastry by hand by rubbing the butter into the dry ingredients)
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Tip the mix onto the worktop and bring it together with your hand, =try not to kneed the pastry. then split in two, flatten into two disc shapes, cover with cling film and chill in the freezer for 15 mins.
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Add the apples to a large bowl, sprinkle over the cinnamon and brandy and mix well.
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Meanwhile make the caramel sauce. Melt the butter in a pan over a medium high heat, once melted whisk in the flour, whisk constantly for 1 minute, then add the water and sugar, whisk again and bring the mixture to a boil. reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes, whisking, then remove from the heat and allow to cool.
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Lightly flour the worktop and roll out one of the chilled pastry discs into a round large enough to cover the bottom of your pie dish. Then flour the top of the pastry and fold the pastry first in half and then into quarters, gently lift this into the pie dish with the point in the centre of the pie dish, then gently unfold the pastry. Gently work the pastry into the sides of the pie dish. I use a piece of scrap pastry wrapped in cling film and dipped into pastry to push the pastry firmly.
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Pour the cooled caramel sauce over the apples and stir until all the apples are coated. Tip the apples into the lined pie dish, the dish should be overly full and slightly domed.
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Roll out the second chilled disc of pastry to a round large enough to cover the top of the pie, then cut that round into strips 1.5 cm thick, you will need 12-14 strips. Add 6-7 strip of pastry vertically, the pul back every other strip and lay down another strip of pastry horizontally. Continue until the pie top is covered with the latticed pastry. Then crimp the edge of the pastry, push one finger into the pastry and pinch around it with your other thumb and forefinger.
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Brush all the pastry with a egg wash and sprinkle with caster sugar. Place the pie onto the preheated baking tray. Cook for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 160 fan for a further 45 minutes, if the pie is browning too much too quickly, cover it loosely with a piece of foil.
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Allow to cool for 30 mins before serving. Serve with custard, cream or ice-cream or all 3 if you are so inclined!!
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