American Crust Apple Pie – America

FILLING
2 1/2 lb Firm tart apples; (eg
-Bramley),
; peeled, cored and
; cut into 1/8 inch
; slices
1 tb Lemon juice
1/2 Orange; zest of
1/4 ts Ground nutmeg or mace
1/2 ts Ground cinnamon
1 pn Ground cloves
3 1/2 tb Plain flour
2 oz Granulated white sugar
2 oz Soft dark brown muscovado
-sugar
4 tb Melted unsalted butter

-GLAZE-
2 tb Milk
2 tb Caster sugar

Dough method:

Sift the salt and flour into a large mixing bowl and cut the butter
and shortening into pieces using two stainless steel knives until the
pieces are in small fragments. They should resemble from breadcrumbs
to dried-pea sized lumps. Sprinkle the sugar over.

Using a fork, sprinkle some ice water (1tbsp at a time) over the mix
and collate the pastry gradually, adding more iced water, as
necessary until the dough is gathered into one whole lump. Roll into
a disc about 6 inches in diameter and cover with cling film and let
rest in a refrigerator for at least 2 hours. This may seem tedious,
but it is well worth the wait. Chilling helps the pastry gain
plasticity for rolling, and lets the glutens emerge from the flour.
Preheat the oven to 230F/450F/gas 8.

Next roll out the dough on a floured surface into a 13 inch circle.
The pastry should be about 1/8 inch thick. Roll the pastry onto the
rolling pin and drape it loosely into a 9 inch pie dish, the sides of
which have been greased with butter and floured.

Push (but without stretching) the dough into the corners of the dish
and trim the pastry with a knife or scissors into a disc with a 1 inch
‘overhang’. Fold the excess under the rim of the pan and flute the
top with the back of a knife. The remaining dough is rolled out for
the lid and reserved.

Prick the base with the fork, lining the base then with foil and place
dried beans or pie weights on to the base to hold its shape while
baking ‘blind’. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the
temperature to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Remove the beans and foil and
bake for a further 3 or 4 minutes. Ensure that the pastry does not
get too browned. Cool aside while preparing the apple filling.

Filling method:

In a bowl mix the sugars, flour, spices and apples. Toss together
evenly and then sprinkle over the melted butter, zest and juice to
combine thoroughly. Spoon the apple mix into the pie dish, piling it
slightly high in the centre and place the rolled pastry cover over
it, wetting the edges with water to glue the cover onto the base
pastry.

Glaze method:

Preheat the oven to 230C/450F/gas mark 8. Brush the pastry with milk
and then sprinkle on the sugar. Bake the pie for 10 minutes on a
middle shelf. Reduce the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4 for another
30-40 minutes until the top is golden or at least until the bottom
crust is golden. Serve with cream or vanilla ice cream.