Classic American Apple Pie
The all-American bake: a flaky all-butter double crust around tender cinnamon apples, baked golden until thick juices bubble through the vents.
Method
Whisk the flour, salt and sugar in a bowl. Add the cold butter and rub it in with your fingertips (or cut it in with a pastry cutter) until the bits are the size of peas; those visible butter pieces are what make the crust flaky. Sprinkle over the ice water a spoonful at a time, tossing with a fork, just until the dough holds together when you squeeze a handful. Don't knead it.
Add in this stepPlain (all-purpose) flour 170 gSalt (for the crust) ¼ tspSugar (for the crust) 1 tspCold butter, in 1 cm cubes 110 gIce-cold water 3 tbsp
Divide the dough into two pieces, one slightly larger (for the base), flatten each into a 2 cm disc, wrap and refrigerate for at least . Cold, rested dough rolls out easily and doesn't shrink in the oven.
Put a baking tray on the lowest rack and preheat the oven to 220 °C. Peel, quarter and core the apples and slice them 5 mm thick. Toss them in a large bowl with both sugars, the cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, lemon juice and cornstarch until evenly coated.
Add in this stepApples, a mix of tart and sweet (whole weight) 450 gSugar 55 gLight brown sugar 20 gGround cinnamon ¾ tspGround nutmeg 1 pinchSalt (for the filling) 1 pinchLemon juice 2 tspCornstarch 1 tbsp
On a floured surface roll the larger disc into a circle about 3 mm thick and 5 cm wider than your 16 cm pie dish. Lift it in loosely rolled around the pin and press it into the corners without stretching. Pile in the apples with their juices, mounding them higher in the centre (they shrink as they bake), and dot with the butter.
Add in this stepButter (for dotting) 10 g
Roll out the second disc the same way and lay it over the apples. Trim both crusts to leave a 1.5 cm overhang, fold the edge under and crimp it with your fingers or a fork. Cut 4–5 slits in the top for steam, brush with cream and sprinkle with sugar. Chill the pie for while the oven finishes heating so the butter firms up again.
Add in this stepCream or milk (for brushing) 1 tbspSugar (for sprinkling) 1 tsp
Set the pie on the hot tray and bake at 220 → 190 °C: first at the higher temperature to set the crust, then turn the oven down and bake more, until the crust is deep golden and thick juices bubble slowly through the slits. If the edge browns too fast, cover it with a strip of foil.
Let the pie cool on a rack for at least before slicing: the juices need that time to thicken, otherwise the filling runs out. Serve barely warm or at room temperature, with vanilla ice cream if you like.
Cook's tip
Mix firm, tart apples (such as Granny Smith) with sweeter ones (such as Golden Delicious) for the best flavour and texture. If the bottom crust is pale and soggy, bake lower in the oven and longer: the juices must bubble thickly before the pie is done. Short on time? Store-bought shortcrust works too.
Cooking it at camp
Make the dough and filling at home and keep them in the cooler. Bake the pie in a disposable foil pie dish set on a trivet inside a Dutch oven, with about 8 coals below and 16 on the lid; it needs about the same total time, so start checking at 35 minutes. Even simpler: bake small hand pies or a free-form galette on a covered griddle.