Life With The Speeds: Quite Simply Apple Pie

Who can resist a simple and traditional Apple Pie!

Certainly not us. We received some Bramley Apples in our Gorleston Veg Box Company order this week and there was no hesitation as to what we would use them for.

The Bramley is recognised by professional chefs and home cooks as the best apple for cooking. Unlike dessert apples, or ‘eating apples’, the Bramley maintains it’s wonderfully strong, tangy taste when cooked. Grown only in Britain, the Bramley’s unique qualities make it a versatile and much-loved ingredient.

This has to be one of the simplest and easiest desserts to make, the girls especially enjoy taking part as they can do the most of the recipe without me.

Simple Ingredients and Utensils

A couple of large Bramley Apples.

Ready Made Pastry (SHOCK! Sorry no shame here, I can't make pastry so I swear by ready made!)

Brown sugar

Peeler

Plate

Chopping board

Plate (oven proof) or pie dish

That's it!

Firstly preheat the oven at 160C/Gas Mark 3 then prepare the apples by peeling and chopping into segments.

I then set these to the side in some cold water with a splash of lemon juice to stop them browning but you don't need to.

Light dust the work surface with flour and roll the pastry out so it's large enough to cover the dish.

At this point you may like to blind bake the base, I never worry about this. It's a choice thing really, some prefer it, others aren't too worried. I don't tend to find the pie gets a soggy bottom and I don't mind a bit of shrinkage around the edges when it bakes.

Now you need to drain the apples and pat dry on a clean tea towel. Arrange the apple pieces on the pastry dish. Then sprinkle with brown sugar. I prefer not to precook the apples as I find they break down enough just baked how they are.

Now you need to moistened the edges with a little water or egg wash, roll out the remaining pastry and lay this over the top, pinch down and trim off the excess.

Brush the top with egg wash and then using some left over pastry, cut a couple of leaf shapes, laying these on the top to decorate. Poke a few holes in the top to allow steam to escape, otherwise the top might "blow up!"