Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups (315 g) All-Purpose Flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 1 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks / 225 g) Unsalted Butter, very cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 6 to 8 tablespoons (90 to 120 ml) Ice Water
  • 6 medium (Approx. 1.2 kg) Firm Apples (e.g., Bramley, Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and sliced ¼ inch thick
  • ½ cup (100 g) Granulated Sugar
  • ¼ cup (50 g) Light Brown Sugar, packed
  • 3 tablespoons (25 g) All-Purpose Flour or Cornstarch (as thickener)
  • 1 teaspoon (5 g) Ground Cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Fresh Lemon Juice
  • ¼ teaspoon (1 g) Pinch of Ground Nutmeg or Allspice
  • 1 Large Egg, whisked with 1 tsp water (for Egg Wash)
  • 1 tablespoon Turbinado or Demerara Sugar (for crust finish)

Instructions:

  1. Phase 1: Making and Chilling the Pastry. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl or food processor.
  2. Cut in the Butter: Add the very cold, cubed butter. Cut the butter into the flour using your fingers, a pastry cutter, or pulse in the processor until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter still visible. Do not overmix.
  3. Add Ice Water: Sprinkle the ice water over the mixture, starting with 6 tablespoons, stirring or pulsing until the dough just comes together when pinched. Avoid kneading.
  4. Divide and Chill: Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a flat disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a minimum of 60 minutes.
  5. Phase 2: Preparing the Filling. Prepare Apples: Peel, core, and slice the apples evenly (about ¼ inch thick).
  6. Combine Filling: In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with the sugars, thickening agent (flour/cornstarch), cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice until all slices are evenly coated. Set aside while rolling the dough.
  7. Phase 3: Assembly and Baking. Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Place a sturdy baking sheet on the bottom rack to preheat.
  8. Bottom Crust: On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of chilled dough into a 12-inch (30 cm) circle. Carefully transfer the dough to the 9-inch pie dish. Trim the edges, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) overhang. Place the dish back in the fridge.
  9. Top Crust: Roll out the second disk of dough into an 11-inch (28 cm) circle.
  10. Fill the Shell: Retrieve the pie dish from the fridge and pour the apple filling into the chilled bottom crust, mounding it slightly in the centre.
  11. Seal the Pie: Lay the top crust over the filling. Trim the top dough, leaving enough margin to tuck under the bottom crust’s overhang. Pinch and crimp the edges tightly to seal.
  12. Vent and Finish: Cut 4-5 slits or a decorative pattern in the centre of the top crust to allow steam to escape. Brush the entire surface with the egg wash and sprinkle generously with the coarse sugar.
  13. Bake: Place the pie on the preheated baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 200°C / 400°F. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 175°C / 350°F and continue baking for another 35–45 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
  14. Cool: Allow the pie to cool on a wire rack for a minimum of 2-3 hours before slicing. This allows the filling to set and prevents a runny slice.