Cheats Apple Pie

Today I'm sharing one of my perfect weekend recipes over at Mummy's undeserved blessings for weekend cookbook. Pop over and have a look at this lovely blog and get some inspiration to cook up a storm this weekend!

This wonderfully warming apple pie is a favorite in my kitchen especially at this time of year! In autumn, the apples are in season and are just so sweet, juicy and delicious. In the cool evenings there is such a comforting feeling in having the smell of apples and cinnamon wafting through the house…it’s enough to turn any house into a home!

This cheats recipe is really simple and quick to prepare. I love it because my kids are really impressed by this pie…they can smell it cooking and can’t wait to eat it!! I have them fooled because the kids think that I’m a really great cook….I don’t tell them how easy it is though…..

I think this pie is quite a good dessert option too. With apples as the main ingredient, the only naughty part is the sugar. Using a piece of puff pastry just on the top (not encasing the apples like a proper pie) cuts down on the extra fat and kilojoules.

1 kg apples (I like golden delicious, fugi or pink ladies)

100g caster sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ cup plain flour

*A piece of frozen puff pastry (there are even lower fat versions available)

1 egg white

1 Tbs caster sugar

• Combine sugar cinnamon and flour in a large bowl.
• Peel, core, quarter and thinly slice the apples.
• Add the apples to the flour mixture and stir to coat the apples.
• Place the apples in a lightly greased pie/casserole dish.
• Cover with a piece of just thawed puff pastry and use a fork to push the pasty onto the edges of the dish to seal.
• Cut a cross in the middle and open the pastly a little to let the steam escape.
• Brush the pastry with the egg white and sprinkle on the sugar.
• Bake for about 30 minutes at 180C until the pastry is lovely and golden.

* if you don’t like using commercial pastry, you can try this easy sweet pastry….it’s not scary I promise!!

75g soft butter

50g sugar

1 egg and 1 egg yolk

120g plain flour

• Using an electric mixer (I use a hand held one) beat butter and sugar until just combined.
• Add the egg and egg yolk and beat until combined.
• Stir through the flour until the mixture becomes a dough.
• Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until a sooth dough forms.
• Wrap in plastic and chill the pastry in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Roll out the pastry to the size of your dish.
• Cover the apples  and use a fork to push the pasty onto the edges of the dish to seal.
• Cut a cross in the middle and open the pasty a little to let the steam escape.
• Brush the pastry with the egg white and sprinkle on the sugar.
• Bake for about 30-40 minutes at 180C until the pastry is lovely and golden.