Apple Pie

Filling

• 3 lb Apples, mixed varieties, peeled and sliced — a mix of tart (Granny Smith) and sweet (Honeycrisp)
• 2/3 cup Granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
• 3 tbsp Cornstarch
• 2 tbsp Butter

Pastry

• 2 Basic pie pastry dough, two discs

Finish

• 1 Egg, beaten
• 1 tbsp Coarse sugar

Macerate

1. Toss the sliced apples with the sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon and let sit. (Tip: This draws out some of the water the apples would otherwise release inside the sealed pie, getting a head start on the shrinkage before it happens.)

Filling

1. Drain the apples over a bowl, reserving the released juice. Simmer the juice in a small pan until reduced by about half and syrupy.
2. Whisk the cornstarch into the reduced juice off the heat until smooth, then toss back through the drained apples along with the butter, cut into small pieces. (Tip: Mixing the concentrated syrup back through, rather than discarding it, keeps all the apples' flavour in the pie instead of down the sink.)

Assemble

1. Roll out one disc of pastry and fit into a 9-inch pie pan. Fill with the apple mixture and top with the second disc, crimping the edges and cutting several vents.

Bake

1. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with coarse sugar if using, and bake at 220°C (425°F) for 20 minutes, then reduce to 190°C (375°F) and continue until the crust is deeply golden and the filling bubbles through the vents.

Cool

1. Cool at least 3 hours before slicing. (Tip: The starch needs this full time to finish setting as it cools — slicing too early gives a runny, unsliceable filling even if the pie tastes fully cooked.)