Classic Homemade Apple Pie
Beginner-Friendly Baking: How to Make Delicious Apple Pie at Home
Enjoy a delightful homemade apple pie, perfect with tea or coffee! This dessert features a beautiful presentation that you’ll almost hesitate to eat. (Makes one 16.5cm tart pan, size 2)
Pie Dough
- 200g all-purpose flour
- 120g cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 3g salt
- 6g sugar
- 70g ice water
- Egg wash (1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp water) for brushing
Sweet Apple Filling
- 1-2 fresh apples, peeled, cored, and diced into 1.5cm pieces
- 50g granulated sugar
- 25g honey (or corn syrup)
- 20g unsalted butter
- 3g cornstarch (or potato starch)
- 2g cinnamon powder (adjust to taste)
- 1-2 fresh apples, peeled, cored, and diced into 1.5cm pieces
- 50g granulated sugar
- 25g honey (or corn syrup)
- 20g unsalted butter
- 3g cornstarch (or potato starch)
- 2g cinnamon powder (adjust to taste)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Let’s start by making the pie dough. In a bowl, combine 70g of ice water, 6g of sugar, and 3g of salt. Stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
Step 2
Sift the 200g of all-purpose flour twice for a smoother dough.
Step 3
Add the 120g of cold, cubed unsalted butter to the sifted flour.
Step 4
Using a pastry scraper or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour until the pieces are as small as possible. It’s crucial to work quickly to prevent the butter from melting. Aim for pea-sized pieces.
Step 5
Create a well in the center of the flour and butter mixture. Pour in 1/3 of the sugar-salt water mixture you prepared earlier. Use the scraper to cut through the dough and mix. Repeat this process two more times, adding the remaining sugar-salt water in two more additions (total of 3 times).
Step 6
As the dough starts to come together into a mass, avoid kneading! Gently press the dough together with your hands to form a rough ball shape. As soon as there are no dry flour spots, transfer it to a plastic bag.
Step 7
Inside the plastic bag, flatten the dough with your palm to about 1-1.5cm thickness. Shape it and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This chilling period helps to re-solidify the butter, which is key to a flaky crust!
Step 8
While the dough chills, let’s prepare the apple filling. Wash the apples, peel them, remove the core, and dice them into approximately 1.5cm pieces.
Step 9
Heat a pan over medium heat. Add 25g of honey (or corn syrup) and 50g of granulated sugar. Stir and cook until the sugar melts and caramelizes to a light brown color. Be careful not to burn it!
Step 10
Once the caramel is ready, add the diced apples to the pan. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the apples become slightly translucent and start to take on a light brown hue. Then, add 20g of unsalted butter.
Step 11
As the butter melts, sprinkle in 3g of cornstarch.
Step 12
Finally, add 2g of cinnamon powder and stir for another 1-2 minutes until everything is well combined. The apples will release their juices, creating a thickened filling.
Step 13
Your delicious apple filling is ready! Let it cool down slightly.
Step 14
Take the chilled dough out of the refrigerator. Lightly dust your work surface with flour and roll out the dough to about 2-3cm larger than your tart pan and approximately 0.4cm thick.
Step 15
Carefully place the rolled-out dough over the tart pan. Gently press the dough into the pan, ensuring it adheres well to the bottom and sides without any air bubbles.
Step 16
Using a fork, prick the bottom of the dough several times. This prevents the crust from puffing up while baking.
Step 17
Roll out the remaining dough into long strips, about 1cm wide. These will be used to decorate the top of the pie. Cut them into even lengths.
Step 18
Spoon the cooled apple filling evenly into the prepared tart shell.
Step 19
Now, let’s create a lattice top! Arrange the dough strips over the filling, overlapping them as shown in the picture. (You’ll need about 8 strips).
Step 20
To form the lattice, lift every other strip (the 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th strips) and fold them back towards the edge.
Step 21
Place a new dough strip horizontally across the pie, then unfold the folded strips back over the new one. This creates the beginning of the woven pattern.
Step 22
Repeat this process. Lift the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th strips, fold them back, lay a new strip horizontally, and then unfold the previously folded strips over it. Continue this pattern until the entire top is covered.
Step 23
You’ve now created a beautiful lattice top for your apple pie!
Step 24
Brush the top of the pie evenly with the egg wash. This will give it a lovely golden-brown color when baked.
Step 25
Bake in a preheated oven at 190℃-200℃ (375℉-400℉) for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Oven temperatures may vary, so adjust baking time as needed.
