A taste of America: Apple Pie :) (Bánh táo)

When you think of America, you think of a nice, warm slice of Apple Pie (well, sitting next to a fat, juicy steak of course). This all-time-American favorite dessert is so perfect for any occasion, at any time of the season. But making a perfect Apple Pie isn’t easy, the finishing product has to be absolutely on the mark: the pastry must be crumbly and flavourful, the filling needs to hit the right balance between sweet and sour. Too much nutmeg and cinnamon isn’t great either (not for Swedes… they can take in as much cinnamon as you throw at them). Finally, it has to look good! The good news is that it isn’t rocket science either, a little patience, a little tinkering and a little practice would soon allow you to make the perfect Apple Pie. This is my first time making a real Apple Pie, I and my girlfriend has this thing about carving out “spheres of influence”, she makes desserts, I make savoury stuff but hey, I can’t participate in Masterchef without knowing how to make desserts :)) Nah, joking, I’m not that good. Not the perfect Apple Pie but definitely something you can impress your friends and family. Oh, this time I got some help from my sister as well, kinda like a 60:40 job so I have to give her some credit 😀

*Ingredients:

for the pastry

• 250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

• 50g icing sugar

• sea salt

• 125gunsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

• 1 egg

• a splash of milk

• a pinch of salt

for the filling

• 3 medium-large apples

• 3 tablespoons brown/white sugar

• 2 tbsp of cinnamom + a dash of nutmeg

• ½ a lemon

• 25 g butter

*Method:

1a. Preheat oven to 180oC

1b. To make the pastry, measure out the ingredients. Use your fingertips to gently work the butter and egg into the flour and sugar  until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, make sure that the butter is really cold in the beginning.

2. Add a bit of milk and gently mix with your hands until the dough comes together.

3. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and let it rest in the fridge for >30 minutes.

4. Peel the apples, remove the core and slice into fairly thin slices. Shape doesn’t really matter.

5. Melt 25 g butter in a pan, add the apples, add sugar, a pinch of salt and cinnamon, nutmeg.

6. As soon as the apple starts to soften and becomes transparent, add the lemon juice. Let it sit.

7. Dust a clean work surface and rolling pin with flour. Divide your pastry dough into two and roll out one half until ½cm thick.

8. Roll the pastry on the rolling pin then gently ease it out on the baking dish.

9. Add the apple filling.

10. Roll the rest of the dough to make the top of the pie.

11. Brush some egg yolk on top of the pastry. Use your knife and make some incisions on top of the pastry to let the steam escape when cooking in the oven.

12. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown. DONE! (Serve with some ice-cream or custard cream)

This is how it looks like after I had already taken a piece out 😀

Enjoy!

Le Degustationator.