Name: Little apple pies
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 kg Granny Smith apples (about 7), peeled and diced; 200 gm caster sugar; 20 gm butter, diced; ¼ tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp cold water; 1 sheet butter puff pastry rolled to a 3mm thick square and refrigerated until required; Eggwash, for brushing; Pure icing sugar, for dusting; Vanilla ice cream or pouring cream, to serve; Shortcrust pastry; 250 gm (1⅔ cups) plain flour; 40 gm, caster sugar; 200 gm chilled diced butter; 2 eggwhites

Little apple pies

In our book, hot apple pie and ice-cream has to be one of the most comforting things you can eat.

Makes 8 pies

Prep

30M

Cook

30M

Total

When it comes to crowd-pleasing desserts, the timeless treat of hot apple pie and cold ice-cream is right in the comfort zone.

Ingredients

1 kg Granny Smith apples (about 7), peeled and diced

200 gm caster sugar

20 gm butter, diced

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp cold water

1 sheet butter puff pastry rolled to a 3mm thick square and refrigerated until required

Eggwash, for brushing

Pure icing sugar, for dusting

Vanilla ice cream or pouring cream, to serve

Shortcrust pastry

250 gm (1⅔ cups) plain flour

40 gm, caster sugar

200 gm chilled diced butter

2 eggwhites

Method

1.For shortcrust pastry, process flour, sugar and butter in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Add eggwhite and process just until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured bench, form into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, then refrigerate for pastry to rest until firm (1-2 hours).

2.Meanwhile, combine apple, sugar and 2 tbsp water in a large saucepan and stir occasionally over medium heat until apple is tender and translucent but still holding shape (15-20 minutes). Drain syrup from apples and return 50ml syrup to pan with butter and cinnamon and bring to a simmer (any flavoured syrup remaining makes a great addition to flavour various cocktails). Add cornstarch slurry to apples and stir until sauce is thick (2-3 minutes). Transfer mixture to a bowl and set aside to cool, then refrigerate until chilled (1 hour).

3.Divide shortcrust pastry in half, then working with one half at a time, break pieces over a sheet of baking paper to form a small rough rectangle. Place another sheet of baking paper on top and roll to a 30cm x 15cm rectangle, then refrigerate in between paper to rest and firm while you roll the other half. Trim pastry edges and cut each into four 14cm x 7cm rectangles, then place on a large baking tray lined with baking paper and refrigerate again to firm (15-20 minutes).

4.Trim puff pastry edges and cut into eight 14cm x 7cm rectangles and refrigerate to firm also (15-20 minutes).

5.Preheat oven to 200C. Spoon apple filling along the centre of each rectangle of shortcrust pastry, brush edges with eggwash, place a piece of puff pastry on top and press sides to seal, then cut edges to evenly trim and seal short ends with a fork. Poke a hole in the centre for steam to escape, brush with eggwash and bake on a large baking paper lined oven tray, turning tray once until golden and puffed and pastry is crisp on base (14-16 minutes). Serve hot, dusted with icing sugar with ice cream or cream.