Individual Apple and Cinnamon Pies

Pastry. It's a right bugger isn't it? The quest for the illustrious golden brown crust with no soggy bottom... Half the battle is the method, but the other is definitely the tools. I once made an apple pie in my beautiful pink ceramic pie dish... disaster! The ceramic didn't conduct the heat adequately, and boom... the soggiest bottom since a wet weekend in Wales.

Last week my new Nordic Ware enamel tins arrived... and yes, I had pies in mind! There would be no messing about. I planned to right the wrong of that pretty pink pie dish (which now sits gathering dust at the back of the cupboard). These pies would scratch a seven year itch. I made individual apple and cinnamon pies with a few fancy lids. 

I make my pastry by hand, and had actual fear in my belly as it started to come together. The last time I had made it, I followed a new recipe which I lived to regret. You could have built a small outhouse with it. Solid as a rock. Boo...

No fear with this one! It was a recipe created from about five or so I had found on the internet, with my own little twist. The result is a lovely short and crisp pastry, which is still strong enough to hold its shape when removed form the tin.

Makes 8 good sized individual pies, with pastry left over for jam tarts...

Ingredients: 

Sweet shortcrust pastry

• 400g plain flour
• 40g golden caster sugar
• 1/4 tsp mixed spice
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 150g cold unsalted butter - cubed
• 100g cold vegetable fat - cubed
• 1 large egg - beaten
• 1 tbsp cold water

Filling

• 400g Bramley apples - peeled and sliced thinly
• 100g golden caster sugar
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Method: 

1. Sift the flour, sugar and mixed spice into a large bowl. 
2. Stir in the lemon rind.
3. Tip in the fats and rub in until the mix looks like golden breadcrumbs. Make sure your hands are as cold as ice! (Your heart shall remain warm...)
4. Stir in the beaten egg and water with a round bladed knife.
5. Stir for a couple of minutes or until it starts to form a ball. If there are lots of dry bits, add another tablespoon of water. 
6. Knead the ball about five times - it should look smoother. Do not over work it...
7. Cover with cling film and pop it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
8. Meanwhile... sift the sugar, cornflour and cinnamon over the apples and toss. 
9. Once rested, roll out your pastry to about 5mm thick and line your pie dishes. Push the dough into the nooks and crannies! I used a 6 inch cutter for the base, and a 5 inch cutter for the round tops. I also made a lattice with strips, and used a heart cutter for the other. Seal the lids in place with a bit of egg wash, and then wash the top and sprinkle with caster sugar. Make little blow holes on pies with lids...
10. Bake at gas 6/200 C for about 30 minutes.

Serve with ice cream or custard, sit back, and marvel at your victory over that pesky pastry...

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I made these pies because pastry is my nemesis, and I fancied kicking it in the pants. 

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