Free-Form Apple Pie
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A super-easy pie with apples and lemon zest - perfect with cream or ice cream and a cup of tea!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 1 sheet puff pastry
  • 4-5 cooking apples
  • 2 teaspoons flour, plus more to sprinkle
  • 2 teaspoons demerara (or brown) sugar, plus more to sprinkle
  • 4-5 medium apples, peeled and sliced thinly
  • 1 unwaxed lemon
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 egg white, beaten
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (160 degrees fan-forced).
  2. Line a baking tray with baking paper and sprinkle with flour.
  3. Place frozen puff pastry on kitchen bench and leave to thaw.
  4. Meanwhile, peel, core and thinly slice apples, trying to keep slices together.
  5. Place puff pastry sheet on baking paper and sprinkle with flour and sugar. This helps to absorb juices from the apples.
  6. Place sliced apples on top of puff pastry, leaving an inch around the edges. I like starting from the outside in and forming a random pattern but feel free to get creative.
  7. Fold pastry edges in and press down lightly with fingers to create attractive creasing.
  8. Move apples around as desired to fill in gaps and look more attractive.
  9. Zest a lemon directly on top of the apple.
  10. Sprinkle with extra demerara sugar and dot with butter.
  11. Using a pastry brush, brush egg white onto exposed pastry.
  12. Place in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until pastry is browning nicely.
  13. Serve immediately. Pie can also be reheated in low oven (100 degrees Celsius) for 15-20 minutes if making ahead.
Recipe by The Hungry Australian at https://hungryaustralian.com/2012/05/picking-apples-free-form-apple-pie/