Apple pies are always a crowd pleaser as they bring back memories and who doesn’t like apple?

And don’t worry if you haven’t the time to whip up your own pastry I won’t tell!!

Serves 5-6

Ingredients

For the pastry

1 x 250g sweet pastry, rolled 4mm thick

Or

250g plain flour

50g icing sugar

125g cold butter, cut into cubes

1 egg

Splash water

Egg yolk for glazing and sprinkle of sugar

Filling

600g apples, granny smiths, braeburn, peas not so good etc

3 Tbsp raw cane sugar

¼ cup sultanas or raisins

½ tsp ground cinnamon or ginger

25g butter

1 Tbsp water

1 lemon, zest

Method

Begin by making the pastry if using this method.

I add the dry ingredients into a food processor or into a large bowl, add the butter and processor until just combined enough to resemble fine breadcrumbs.

Add the egg and mix until the dough comes together, if looking dry add the water and this should hold together. Bring the dough together so it forms a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 20-30 minutes.

While the pastry is chilling, make the filling.

Preheat oven 170C

Place all the ingredients for the filling together into a saucepan and cook gently for about 5 minutes so that the apples cook half way through and this will get the juices going.

Place the apples into a 20cm pie dish. Set aside.

Roll the pastry so that is will cover the pie dish and about 1 cm overlap.

Brush the rim of the pie dish with a little of the egg yolk. Place the pastry loosely over the apples and press down around the edge. Trim off any excess. Brush with egg yolk and sprinkle with a little sugar. Cut a few slits in the pastry and if feeling decorative you can make a few leaves to place on the top.

Bake for 30 -40 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the apples are tender and juicy.

Serve warm with plenty of cream and icecream.