Charlotte Emily
- May 13, 2022

Easy Apple Pie

Vegan Easy Apple Pie

The rich apple filling with an underlying cinnamon flavour, is the perfect balance with the sweet 'buttery' pastry, with the sharp lemon in the filling. The pastry is rolled relatively thin, so this pie isn't too doughy, which allows the texture of the apples to be the main focus. With the need for a little time and only two bowls and a pie tin, this is a perfect recipe for a classic bake.

With this easy pastry and simple apple filling, this apple pie is great for any occasion. It does take time, but the 'buttery' pastry, rich apple and cinnamon filling with a flakey lattice on the top, means it's worth it! With the sweet maple syrup and chunky sugar brushed on top, the pastry is not only golden brown but melts in your mouth with every bite.

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How can I stop the pastry from shrinking down the sides?

I've found that an easy way is to double the thickness around the top. Once you've placed the pastry in the tart case, trim the excess around the tart case, leaving about an inch. Fold this pastry down the inside of the tart case, and press it into the sides, creating the fluted shape. Then press the top of the pastry all around the sides, to create a flat and even top and that's it... easy! The pastry will still shrink a little in the oven, but will hold up when it cools and keep the filling place.

How do I stop the apples turning brown once cut?

As there is a lot of apple to cut and it may take a little time if they're cut thinly (which works best), the slices will start to turn brown as they sit in the pan. Whilst this doesn't affect the flavour and they will be cooked, if you're pre-slicing ready to make the filling later on, it looks more appealing when you come to use them if they're fresh. So, by covering them in lemon juice, you will stop them turning brown. If you are slicing them to be used later on, also cover them and pop them in the fridge until you're ready to use them (make sure to use them the same day).

Do I need any fancy equipment?

Nope, all you need is a knife! There's no need for an apple slicer or a fancy pastry cutter to get perfect even strips for the lattice, we can do it all with a knife (and a ruler if you want to make sure the pastry strips are perfectly even). The thinner the apple is cut, the quicker it will cook, so a sharp knife will be the easiest to use. The pastry is soft, so you don't need to use a really sharp knife like with the apple, just as long as it has some kind of point, you will be able to easily cut it into strips.

Can I make the filling ahead of time?

Definitely! Both the pastry and filling can actually be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge. The pastry needs to chill for at least an hour before being rolled out, but as long as it's either wrapped or in an airtight container, you can leave it in the fridge for two days. The apple filling can also be made ahead of time and kept in an airtight container in the fridge (for no longer than two days), as it needs to cool before being added to the pie. Just make sure you allow it to cool fully before putting it in the fridge.

How do I remove the excess pastry?

This is actually really easy and you only need your hands. Once the pastry has been arranged into a lattice on the top of the pie, there will be some hanging over the edge. With your thumb or finger, press the pastry down onto the edge of the pie tin... the 'sharp' rim will cut through the pastry and leave a clean line that will follow the pattern of the tin and show the flutes. The pressure of you pressing the pastry will also help to join the lattice top with the sids of the pastry, so they shouldn't separate in the oven.

How do I store this pie?

Once the pie has cooled, it can be stored in an air tight container, either in the fridge or out. If stored out of the fridge it will only last 2 - 3 days, but will last up to a week in the fridge. It can be stored whole, or cut into slices and stored.

What goes into this apple pie?

Plain Flour - the flour makes up the base of the pastry and provides the texture.
Vegan Butter - baking block butter works best, for taste and texture in baking, so I'd stick with that.
Caster Sugar - the sugar provides a little sweetness and softness to the pastry.
Salt - this help the pastry to brown and give a lovely golden colour.
Water - a small amount of water is used to create the cornflour mix, which is used to thicken the filling. It also loosens the maple syrup, making it easier to brush onto the top, to brown the pastry as it bakes.
Apples - these are what the pie is all about!
Lemon Juice - this stops the apples from browning as they're cut and adds a little sharpness to the filling.
Brown Sugar - this makes up the sweetness of the pie's filling, alongside the apples and sharpness from the lemon juice.
Vanilla Extract - just gives a little extra flavour.
Cinnamon - apples and cinnamon... they just have to go together right?
Mixed Spice - this boosts the cinnamon flavour in the apple filling.
Cornflour - when mixed with water, this will thicken the sauce in the apple filling.
Maple Syrup - this adds a little extra sweetness, but also helps the pastry to turn golden brown in the oven.
Granulated Sugar - the chunkier sugar is great for helping the pastry to brown in the oven.

Vegan Easy Apple Pie

Total Time : 2 hours 40 minutes

Pastry Preparation Time : 30 minutes

Filling Preparation Time : 30 minutes

Chilling Time : 1 hour

Baking Time : 40 minutes

Ingredients

– For the Pastry –

360g Plain Flour
240g Dairy-Free Butter, cubed
2 tbsp Caster Sugar
1 tsp Salt
6 - 8 tbsp Water

– For the Apple Filling –

800g - 820g Apples
Juice from 1 Lemon
50g Dairy-Free Butter
200g Brown Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Mixed Spice
1 tbsp Cornflour
1 tbsp Water

– For Brushing the Pastry –

1 tsp Maple Syrup
1 tsp Water
Pinch Granulated Sugar

Method

– For the Pastry –

Start by mixing 200g of flour with the sugar and salt. Add in the cubed butter and coat with the flour mix.
Once coated, use your fingers to rub the butter with the flour mixture, until it reaches a breadcrumb-like texture.
Add the remaining 160g of flour and continue to rub the mixture together, until the rest of the flour is worked into the breadcrumb-like mixture.
Then add your water 1 tbsp at a time, using a spatula to help the pastry dough form - the dough should form clumps, but if pressed together should form a dough... so add the water accordingly until it reaches this point.
Once this happens, turn the dough onto a floured work surface and gently work into a ball. Place the dough back into your bowl, cover the top and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

– For the Apple Filling –

Whilst the pastry is chilling in the fridge, make your apple filling so that it has time to cool before it's put in the pastry case.
Start by placing your lemon juice in a large pan and start slicing your apples as thinly as possible. As they are being sliced, pop them in the pan with the lemon juice, making sure they are coated in the juice to stop them from turning brown.
Once the apples are sliced, add the butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon and mixed spice into the pan. Place the pan on a high heat to melt the butter and sugar, as well as allowing the apples to begin softening.
Once the butter and sugar has melted, turn the heat down and stir occasionally until the apples are soft and cooked... this will take around 10 minutes.
Once the apples are cooked, turn the heat up and bring the sauce to the boil, whilst you combine the cornflour and water in a small bowl, mixing until it forms a liquid. When boiling, pour the cornflour mix into the pan with the apples and stir constantly for a couple of minutes. The sauce should thicken quite quickly.
Once you're happy with the sauce, take the pan off the heat and transfer the apples onto a lined baking tray (or large plate) and spread out the apples so they can cool.

– To Assemble –

Once the pastry has chilled for at least an hour, take it out the fridge and divide it into two pieces.
Preheat your oven to 220C fan and grab your pie tin and place to one side.
Lightly flour your work surface and roll out one of the two pieces of pastry dough to a size that will fill the pie tin, with some excess hanging over the sides.
Gently transfer your pastry to your tin - by rolling the dough over your rolling pin, you can easily transfer it to your tin.
Gently press the pastry into the tin and gently press the sides into the tin to created the fluted shape. Make sure there is no pastry hanging over the sides and it's all pressed into the tin.
Roll out the other piece of pastry dough on a lightly floured surface, then carefully with a ruler and knife, cut the pastry into strips, all to the same width if possible.
Once the strips for the lattice are ready, transfer the apple pie filling to the pastry base. Spread the filling around so that it fills the case and the top is as flat as possible.
Then it's time to make the lattice. Lay all the strips in one direction, on the top of the filling, allowing the excess to hang over the sides. Then peel back every other strip and lay another in a different direction (the angle of this will determine how the lattice will look). Place the strips back down, over the one you've just place, creating the 'over-under' pattern. Next, peel back alternating strips to the ones before and lay another strip, just like the previous strip. Repeat this process, until the lattice is complete.
Once the lattice is complete, mix the maple syrup and water in a bowl and brush it over the top of the pastry. Then sprinkle with granulated sugar and your pie is ready to be baked.
Bake your pie in the oven for 20 minutes at 220C fan, then turn your oven down to 180C fan and bake for a further 20 minutes. If at any point it looks like it's browning too quickly, just cover it with some foil and it will continue to cook without burning.
Once baked, remove the pie from the oven and and leave to cool in the tin for 20 minutes, whilst the sauce in the filling cools and thickens. Then remove your pie from the tin and leave it to cool on a rack before serving, or enjoy warm!