Apple Pie (UK Recipe)

A classic British apple pie recipe made with buttery shortcrust pastry and sweet, cinnamon-spiced apples. Easy to make and perfect for using up fresh apples from the garden.

Author: Amy Reid

4.5 from 6 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, British

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 50

Servings:

INGREDIENTS

Metric (UK) | Cups (US)

For the Pastry

250 g Block Margarine or Butter (softened)
125 g Caster Sugar
1 Free-range Egg (at room temperature; see Egg Size note below)
500 g Plain Flour

For the Filling

1 kg Apples (approx. 8 medium apples; peeled, cored & cut into quarters)
100 g Caster Sugar
½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 tbsp Cornflour

INSTRUCTIONS

For the Pastry:

In a large bowl, cream the butter/margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix through.
Sift in the flour and combine until the pastry comes together, using your hands to bring together if needs be.
Wrap the pastry in cling film and refrigerate until required.

For the Filling:

Preheat your oven to 180°c (160°c for fan-assisted ovens, Gas Mark 4 or 3500°F) and grease a 20-22cm loose-bottom pie tin before dusting it with a little excess flour. Set aside.
Roughly chop your apples and set aside. In a small bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon & cornflour and set aside.
Take your chilled pastry from the fridge and remove about ⅓ of it, setting it aside for the top of the pie. Roll the remaining pastry on a well-floured work surface until it is big enough to line your pie tin.
Gently lift the pastry into your prepared pie tin, pressing it into the edges and use any excess pastry to patch up any breaks or holes.
Add your apples to your pastry-lined pie tin, ensuring they are evenly distributed. Sprinkle the sugar mixture on top of the apples.
Roll your remaining pastry until it is large enough to cover your pie. Wet the edges of your pie with a little water before transferring the pastry lid to the top, pressing the edges together to seal the pie. Again, patch up any holes or breaks with excess pastry.
Trim the edges of the pastry before making a few holes in the top to allow the steam to escape while baking.
Bake in your pre-heated oven for around 40-50 minutes, until golden on top.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with some caster sugar whilst still hot. Allow to cool in the tin for a while before slicing and serving while still a little warm.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

All my recipes are developed using a digital scale and the metric system (grams and millilitres). Cup measurements are available as a conversion but these, unfortunately, won't always be as accurate. For best results, I always recommend baking with a digital scale.

NOTES

Egg Size:

When it comes to eggs, I always buy mixed-weight free-range eggs. Generally speaking, egg size doesn’t make a huge difference in most baking, unless you are using sizes that lean towards the extremes. If you’re unsure which eggs to use, I recommend medium eggs in the UK, which are roughly equivalent to large eggs in the US. That’s what this recipe has been tested with.

Serving Suggestions:

Best served warm with custard, cream or ice cream. Or just on its own in slices, with a cuppa.

Make Ahead:

You can make the pastry in advance and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days, or freeze it for later. The assembled, unbaked pie can also be kept in the fridge for a few hours before baking.

Storage:

Once baked and cooled, your apple pie will keep well for up to 3 days in an airtight container, or in the tin, wrapped in clingfilm or tin foil. Store it at room temperature or in the fridge if your kitchen is particularly warm.

Freezing:

Apple pie freezes brilliantly. You can freeze it baked or unbaked:

To freeze unbaked: Assemble the pie and freeze it in the tin, wrapped well in cling film and foil. Bake straight from frozen, adding an extra 10–15 minutes to the baking time.
To freeze baked: Let the pie cool completely, then wrap well and freeze. Defrost at room temperature and warm in the oven, if desired, before serving.