Before You Begin

Servings

8 small/ 4 large pie slices (Can serve 4-5 people at tea-time, or 8 people for dessert after a heavy meal)

Previous day prep needed: None
Time taken: 30 minutes prep, 45 min bake time, 15 minutes to rest before serving
Goes well with: Tea/coffee or ice-cream

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 2 cups maida
• 100gm cold butter
• a pinch of salt
• cold water as needed

For the Filling

• 3 small or 2 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced thinly
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (I like it to be less sweet. Increase to 1/2cup for more sweetness)
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 tbsp maida
• Milk to brush

Method

1. In a bowl add maida and cold butter, mixing together with your fingers until it reaches the texture of wet sand. It should hold together in your fist but still fall apart like sand. At this point, add a little cold water at a time, to form a stiff dough. Divide this dough into 2 parts. Roll out one part into a 1/4th inch thick disk, and line it on the bottom and up the sides of a 6-8 inch round baking dish. Prick the surface with a fork. Roll out the other portion of dough in the same thickness, and cut into 1 inch wide strips. Refrigerate both of these until the filling is ready.
2. For the filling, in a mixing bowl, add the sliced apples, cinnamon powder, sugar, maida and vanilla essence. Mix until well combined.
3. Pour the apple filling in the prepared pie crust. Use the strips of dough to create a lattice formation on top. Or simply lay them horizontally first and then vertically, making sure to leave a gap between each square. This is to let the apple and sugar liquids to ooze out as the pie cooks. Brush with milk.
4. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 40-45 minutes with both upper and lower rods on, until it its browned from all sides. Insert a knife through the gap in the squares to ensure the apples have turned soft.
5. Once baked, let it rest for an hour to allow the pie filling to set and firm up.
6. Serve warm.

Video Link