Deep Dish Apple Pie

I baked this apple pie for a colleague’s birthday in early August. It was very well received among my colleagues and some have asked for the recipe too. This is the second time I baked this apple pie. Glad that other than my family, more people get to enjoy and like it. J

A half-eaten slice of pie. See the flaky crust and juicy fillings?

The recipe which I am reproducing below, is adapted from one of my recipe book collection – Best Ever Book of Pastry. I am submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #10 – Easy as Pie (August 2011), hosted by Janine of Not the Kitchen Sink.

 

Deep Dish Apple Pie Recipe

Ingredients for the filling:

• 115g caster sugar
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• Finely grated rind of 1 orange
• 900g apples
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 2 tbsp brown sugar

Ingredients for the pastry:

• 350g plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 175g butter, diced
• 5 tbsp chilled water

Baking Steps:

1. To make the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a bowl and add in the butter cubes. Use fingers or pastry cutter to turn the mixture into crumbs-like. Sprinkle the water over the dough and mix to a firm, soft dough. Wrap in clear film (plastic wrap) and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Combine the caster sugar, flour, cinnamon and orange rind in a bowl. Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples. Add to the sugar mixture, then toss gently.
3. Preheat to 200^oc. Roll out just over half the pastry and use to line a 23 cm pie dish that is 4cm deep. Allow to overhang the edges slightly. Spoon in the filling, doming it in the centre.
4. Roll out the remaining pastry to form the lid. Lightly brush the edges with a little water, then place the lid over the apple filling. Trim the pastry with a sharp knife. Gently press the edge together to seal, then knock up the edge.
5. Use the remaining pastry to cut out leaf or any shapes you desire as decoration for the pie. Arrange the decorations on top of the pie. Brush the top of the pie with egg white and sprinkle with brown sugar. Make two small slits in the top of the pie to allow steam to escape.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, then lower the temperature to 180^oc and bake for a further 15 minutes until the pastry is golden and the apples are soft - check by inserting a small sharp knife or skewer through one of the slits in the top of the pie.

I also baked 2 mini-size pies for my daughters, using the excess dough and fillings