| For Crust | |
| Plain Flour | 1 3/4 cups |
| Self Raising Flour | 1/2 cup |
| Unsalted Butter | 185g - chill and cut into cubes |
| Castor Sugar | 1/3 cup |
| Egg | 2 medium |
| Milk | 1 tbs |
| For Filling | |
| Granny Smith Apples | 8 larges |
| Lemon | 1 whole (squeeze out the juice) |
| Castor Sugar | 1/2 cups (i used combination of castor sugar and brown sugar) |
| Ground Cinnamon | 1 teaspoon |
| Ground Cloves | 1/4 teaspoon (i omit and replace with nutmeg) |
Sift flours and a pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl. Add butter and rub lightly into flour with your fingertips
Lift mixture high above the bowl as you rub, to incorporate air into the pastry and make it lighter.
Continue until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then stir through sugar.
Lightly beat 1 egg with 1 tablespoon chilled water, then drizzle over flour mixture.
Start to bring the dough together by cutting the liquid into the dough with a blunt knife.
Then form into a smooth ball with your hands, adding a little more water if necessary.
Divide dough into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
To Make Filling:
Peel and core the apples, and cut each into 8 pieces. Toss immediately with lemon juice in a large bowl, to prevent apples from discolouring
Place the butter and sugar in a large frypan over medium-low heat. When butter has melted, add apples and spices, then stir to coat.
Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until apples have softened. Set aside to cool.
To Assemble the pastry and to bake it:
Roll out the larger pastry ball on a floured workbench to a 30cm circle (about 2mm thick)
Roll pastry around rolling pin, then unroll over a 22cm metal pie dish. (mine 12' glass pan).Gently press into corners and allow excess to overhang.
Place filling in base with a slotted spoon. Roll the small pastry piece to a 25cm circle
Beat remaining egg with milk, brushing some on rim of the base. Top with small pastry. (I 'm cover the top using lattice method/ zigzag/ tikar form)
Lift the pie dish and cut excess pastry from edges with a sharp knife. Crimp edges of pastry together with your fingers.
Chill for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 180°C, place pie dish on a baking tray.
Brush top of pie with more beaten egg, sprinkle with demerara or caster sugar
Cut four small air vents in the centre of the pie and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.
Mine, no need to cut since there's opening air through lattice opening.