Apple Braided-Pastry Pie

I baked this easy and delicious Apple Braided-Pastry Pie for my family's afternoon tea today. The Husband said "It is as good as pastry from the bakery". The younger girl corrected him immediately and replied that "It is better than those from the bakery!" LOL, but their words made my day!

 

  

I am sending this to Aspiring Bakers #10 – Easy as Pie (August 2011), hosted by Janine of Not the Kitchen Sink.

Apple Braided-Pastry Pie

(Recipe taken from here)

•  1 sheet stored bought puff pastry
• 2 large apples (I used FUJI apples)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup brown sugar (Original recipe called for another 1/3 cup of Castor Sugar which I omitted)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

1. Peel apple skin, core apples, quarter each apple then cut each quarter into 3 pieces.
2. Mix the apples with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cook in a saucepan over medium heat until just tender (about 10 minutes).
3. Defrost the puff pastry and lay it over a sheet of baking paper. Visually divide the sheet into 3 rectangular sections. Spread the apples in the centre rectangular of the pastry and spoon some of the syrup over the apples.
4. On the two remaining rectangular sections, use sharp knife to cut diagonal stripes of around 45 degree angle. You should get about 6 stripes on each side.
5. Cross pastry stripes over one-another to form criss-cross pattern. (This youtube video clip  provides a good tutorial on how to do it).
6. Lightly brush the beaten egg over the pastry. Bake in the pre-heated oven at 190 degree C for 20 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.