Denise says:

  • Apple pie of all descriptions is everyone favourite.
  • Add two other favourites  whisky and salted caramel and you have a warming comfort dessert that you can add to the dessert menu any time.
  • Preparation Time: 1 hour plus chilling
  • Cooking Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Serves: 10 people
 

Ingredients:

For the pastry
  • 300g plain flour
  • 2 tablespoons caster sugar
  • 150g unsalted butter/ non dairy margarine
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 egg yolk and 1 teaspoon water – for glazing
  • Demerara sugar- for sprinkling
  • Salted Caramel
  • 200g caster sugar
  • 35g unsalted butter/ non dairy margarine
  • Large pinch – flaky sea salt
  • 180ml double cream/ non dairy soya cream
  • Apple Filling
  • 3 large Granny smith apples –
  • 3 large Braeburn apples
  • ½ lemon – zest and juice
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 5 tablespoons corn flour
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon mixed spice
  • 1 tablespoon whisky
 
  • Equipment:  1 loose based 23cm/ 9inch pie dish

Method

  1. To make the caramel, put the sugar in a small saucepan, heat gently until it has melted and started to go a light brown colour. Add the margarine and salt stirring continuously.
  2. Then carefully add the cream, turn the heat off and whisk fast to combine until smooth. Remove and leave to chill. Separate 1/3 of the caramel sauce and keep to serve separately.
  3. For the pastry, combine the flour, sugar, butter, salt and 2 tablespoons water in the food processor until a dough has formed. Remove, wrap in cling film and leave to chill for 10 minutes in the freezer.
  4. Peel, core and cut the apples into small cubes. Toss together with the lemon juice and zest, brown sugar, cornflour, cinnamon, mixed spice and whisky.
  5. Cut the pastry in half. Lightly dust the work surface with flour and roll out one portion about 3mm thick and 5cm larger than the pie dish. Roll the pastry onto the rolling pin and gently unroll into the tin.
  6. Preheat the oven to 200C/ 400F/ Gas mark 6. Cover with foil and insert baking beans and blind bake the pastry base for 20 minutes.
  7. Roll out the second dough portion as before but this time cut into strips 2.5cm wide.
  8. Lay the apples and 2/3 of caramel sauce into the cooked pie base.
  9. Place a line of strips on top of the pie, then weave in between the strips to form a lattice effect. Repeat until the whole pie is covered.
  10. Trip the strips so that they end on the rim of the pie tin. Roll up the overhanging dough into a sausage. Cut in half and plait. Place this around the circumference and push down to seal the edges.
  11. Brush the pie with beaten egg yolk, sprinkle with demerara sugar.
  12. Bake for 180C for 15 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 160C and bake for 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbling.
  13. Serve with the remaining caramel sauce.