BEST PASTRY FOR APPLE PIE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6
• Divide pastry into 6 equal portions and roll out to line 3 20cm/8″ shallow pie plates. Put to chill whilst preparing the apples.
• Peel, core and thickly slice the apples, toss with the lemon rind and juice, the flour, sugar and cinnamon. Pile into the pastry bases.
• Roll out remaining pastry and use to top the pies, using trimmings for decoration as desired.
• Brush with water and dredge lightly with remaining sugar, bake for 20-25 mins until pastry is golden brown.
• Serve warm with cream or ice cream.

Steps:

• For the crust, pulse flour, sugar and salt in a food processor until blended. Add butter; pulse until butter is the size of peas. While processing, add just enough cold water to form moist crumbs. Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight., For the filling, melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add apples and next 6 ingredients; stir to combine. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until apples have softened and released their juices, 10-12 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer apple slices to a 15x10-in. baking pan; spread into a single layer. Add cider to remaining liquid in Dutch oven and bring to a boil; cook until juices reduce to 1/2 cup, 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat; add lemon juice and vanilla extract. Pour over apple slices; cool completely. (Filling can be made 24 hours in advance and refrigerated.), On a lightly floured surface, roll half of dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a deep dish 9-in. pie plate. Trim pastry to within 1/2-in. of rim. Add filling. Roll remaining dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edge. Cut slits in top. Whisk together egg yolk and cream; brush top of pie. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Chill 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425°. Adjust oven rack to lowest position; place foil on rack to catch any spills. , Bake pie 20 minutes. Reduce oven setting to 350°. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling bubbly, 40-50 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.