Sunday 4 September 2016

RUSTIC APPLE PIE, OH MY!

'Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness.' - Jane Austen.



Oh, hi there.

I think those of us with taste buds can all agree that a homemade apple pie during the Autumn is one of life's little pleasures. It's a staple dessert to have around this time and the smell that is produced in
the kitchen while it's baking is just ahh-mazing. 


Come on, anything that looks as rustic as this is just perfect in my eyes. Pure homely, loveliness.

I don't bake very often, I think the last time I did was about two months ago, the kids and I made some chocolate chip cookies, which were from a pre-made mixture and which had been sat in the cupboard for way too long, I maybe should have checked the date on those.. They were yummy regardless. Anyway, I was saying I don't bake very often but when the colder months start coming in, I just want to BAKE ALL THE THINGS. Comfort foods are, well, just comforting aren't they?


With puddings I'm usually a custard girl, I blimmin' love the stuff but I have seen quite a few pins on Pinterest of apple pie with salted caramel sauce, and I blimmin' love that stuff too, so I just had to try them both together. And OMG, heavenly choir sound.
Now I've tried making caramel sauce before and I just cannot do it, it either burns or crystallises and to be honest it actually scares me a little. Imagine accidentally getting boiling sugar on your skin, ouchee. Well, thankfully you don't need to go through any of that to have delicious salted caramel sauce. This is so quick and easy, you can make it in less time it takes to make a cuppa. Honestly.

 

This recipe will make two medium sized pies, approx 8ins or one large pie.  


RUSTIC APPLE PIE

  •  A block of ready-made shortcrust pastry (obviously if you prefer you can make your own pastry from scratch).
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 8 apples peeled, cored and sliced thinly
  •  1/4 cup soft brown sugar
  •  1 tsp ground cinnamon
  •  1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 
  •  1 egg beaten to glaze the pie crust
  •  Caster sugar and cinnamon for sprinkling

Method.

Preheat the oven 180'C, line your baking tray with parchment and if using ready-made pastry take it out of the fridge and leave it on the side. Peel, core and slice your apples thinly. Add two tablespoons of butter to a large saucepan and heat gently until melted. Add the apples to the melted butter and stir to coat them, add 1/4 cup of soft brown sugar and your spices, cinnamon and nutmeg to the apples and stir again. Leave on a medium heat, stirring occasionally until the apple slices have softened. Enjoy the smell. Once the apples have softened you can start with your pastry. Half your dough and roll each halves out thinly, into circular shapes, transfer onto the baking tray. Spoon the apples into the centre of the pastry circles, leaving 1 1/2ins border.  Fold the pastry inwards all the way around. Brush the pies with the beaten egg and sprinkle a little caster sugar and cinnamon over the top. Bake in the centre of the oven for around 40 minutes or until the crust has turned a golden colour.


CHEATS SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

  •  1 cup of soft brown sugar
  •  4 tbsp butter
  •  1/2 cup of double cream
  •  1 tbsp vanilla extract 
  •  A pinch of salt

Method. 

In a medium saucepan combine all ingredients and stir gently for a few minutes over a medium heat until sauce has reached desired thickness. That's it. Serve drizzled over your freshly baked apple pie and enjoy.



I'll speak to you soon,

Take care

x

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