Home-made apple pie

serves 12

(Adapted from Tasty.co)

So my hubby had a big birthday and after 5 and a half years of marriage, I thought, finally now is the time to attempt his all-time favourite dessert from scratch. He LOVES apple pie, like he could eat a whole one in a sitting. I fondly remember his sheepish face as he used to divert into the Pie in the Sky at Bilpin, or his face when he comes back from Coles because "it was half-price!" (happens all the time) or just the look on his face as we pass any new bakery. This was my first attempt at making shortcrust pastry, not too hard especially with an enthusiastic little helper!

Prep time: 40 minutes

Cooking time: 60 minutes

Ingredients
Pie dough
2 1/2 cups plain flour
1 tsp salt
175 g butter, cold, unsalted, cut into cubes
6 to 8 Tbsp ice water

Apple filling
1kg granny smith apples
60 g brown sugar
60 g caster sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
juice of 1/2 lemon

1 egg, beaten
raw sugar, to sprinkle on top

Method
1. In a medium-sized bowl, add the flour and salt. Mix until combined. Add in the cubed butter and break up into flour with your hands. Mixture will still have small lumps about the size of small peas.

2. Gradually add the ice water and continue to mix until the dough starts to come together. You may not need all the water, but if the dough is too dry then add more. The dough shouldn't be very sticky. Work the dough together with your hands and turn out onto a surface, knead a few times then cover with cling wrap. Refrigerate.

3. Peel the apples, then core and slice. In a large bowl, add the sliced apples, sugars, flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and juice from the lemon. Mix until well combined and the apples are coated. Refrigerate.

4. Preheat the oven to 200 C.
5. On a floured surface, cut the pie dough in half and roll out both halves until round and about 1/8 inch (3mm) thick. Roll the dough around the rolling pin and unroll onto a pie dish, making sure the dough reaches all the edges. Trim extra if necessary.
6. Pour in the apple filling mixture (but maybe not all the liquid, otherwise it may become too moist). Pat down then roll the other half of the dough on top. Trim the extra dough from the edges and pinch the edges to create a crimp. Make sure the edges are sealed together.
7. Brush the pie with the beaten egg and sprinkle with raw sugar. Cut four slits in the top of the pie to create a vent.

8. If using a dish with a removable base, put the pie dish on a foil-covered tray (some juices may leak). Place the pie dish into the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Allow to cool completely before slicing.
9. Top with ice cream and serve.