Apple Pie — the British double-crust Bramley pie

i. Origin & history

Apple pie is an English invention, or at least one of the oldest English baked dishes on record. A recipe from around 1381, in a collection associated with the court of Richard II, describes a tart of apples, pears, figs, raisins and saffron in a pastry case — the pastry, called a coffin, was then often a sturdy container rather than something to be eaten. There was no sugar; sweetness came from the fruit, sugar being a rare and costly import.

As sugar became cheaper from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, apple pies became sweeter, and the pastry richer and more edible. By the eighteenth century apple pie was a staple of English home cooking, made with the apples stored through winter. Cloves, cinnamon and quince were common flavourings, and some cooks added lemon peel or orange.

English settlers took apple pie to North America, along with apple trees — apples are not native to the Americas. There it became so central to home cooking that 'as American as apple pie' became a national idiom. The American pie tends to use dessert apples, more cinnamon and a thickened, sliced filling, while the classic British pie uses cooking apples that soften into a sharper, fluffy filling.

The British cooking apple par excellence is the Bramley. The original tree is said to have grown from a pip planted in a cottage garden in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, in the early nineteenth century, and the variety takes its name from a later owner of the garden, Matthew Bramley. Its high acidity and tendency to cook down to a soft purée make it ideal for pies, crumbles and sauces, and it is still grown almost exclusively for the British market.

ii. Why Bramleys collapse — and how to stop the gap

Bramley apples are high in malic acid and low in sugar, and their cell walls break down readily when heated. That is why they turn into a fluffy, sharp purée in the oven, quite different from dessert apples, which hold their shape. The tartness balances the sweet pastry and sugar perfectly, but the collapse brings one problem: as the apples cook, they shrink, leaving a gap under the domed pastry lid.

There are two solutions. One is to mix apples: about two-thirds Bramley and one-third firm dessert apple, such as Cox or Braeburn, which keeps some texture and structure. The other is to part-cook the Bramleys briefly first, so they shrink before they go into the pie. This recipe does both: the Bramleys are softened for a few minutes, and dessert apple slices are added raw.

The filling also produces a lot of juice. A spoonful of cornflour or flour tossed with the apples thickens it as it bubbles, so the bottom crust does not turn soggy. Cutting steam vents in the lid lets moisture escape.

For the pastry, a rich shortcrust with cold butter, and a little egg yolk for strength, gives a crisp, flaky crust. Baking the pie on a preheated tray in the lower part of the oven helps the base cook through before the filling soaks it.

iii. Ingredients

Makes 8 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust

• 350 g plain flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp caster sugar (pastry)
• 200 g cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1 egg yolk
• 4 tbsp ice-cold water
• 700 g Bramley apples, peeled, cored and thickly sliced
• 300 g firm dessert apples (Cox or Braeburn), peeled, cored and sliced
• 120 g caster or light brown sugar (filling)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 cloves, or a pinch of ground cloves
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 25 g butter (filling)
• 1 egg, beaten, for glazing
• 1 tbsp granulated or demerara sugar, for the top

Bramley apples are the British standard; outside the UK, use a sharp cooking apple such as Granny Smith, which holds its shape more. Dessert apples add texture and sweetness. Cold butter gives flaky pastry; some cooks use a quarter lard for extra shortness. Adjust the sugar to the tartness of the apples. Cloves are the traditional English spice for apple pie; cinnamon is more American but widely used.

iv. Method

1. Make the pastry: mix the flour, salt and sugar and rub in the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs with a few pea-sized pieces. Mix in the yolk and water and bring together into a dough. Divide into two pieces, one slightly larger, flatten, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Put the Bramley slices, half the sugar, the cloves and the 25 g butter in a pan. Cover and cook over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, until the edges begin to soften but the slices still hold their shape. Spread out to cool and remove the cloves.
3. Toss the cooled Bramleys with the dessert apples, remaining sugar, cinnamon, cornflour and lemon juice.
4. Heat the oven to 200 °C (180 °C fan, 400 °F) with a baking tray inside. Roll out the larger piece of pastry and line a 23 cm pie dish, leaving the edge overhanging.
5. Pile in the filling, mounding it in the centre. Brush the pastry rim with beaten egg. Roll out the remaining pastry and lay it over the top. Trim, press the edges together and crimp.
6. Brush the lid with beaten egg, sprinkle with sugar and cut 2–3 steam vents.
7. Bake on the hot tray for 20 minutes, then lower the oven to 180 °C (160 °C fan, 350 °F) and bake for 25–30 minutes more, until deep golden and the juices bubble through the vents.
8. Rest for at least 20 minutes before cutting, so the filling sets slightly.

v. Tips & common mistakes

• Part-cook the Bramleys. This reduces shrinkage and stops a large gap forming under the lid.
• Mix apple varieties. Some firm dessert apple keeps texture in an otherwise soft filling.
• Cool the filling before assembling. Warm filling melts the pastry butter and gives a soggy base.
• Bake on a hot tray. It sends heat straight into the bottom crust and helps prevent a soggy base.
• Cut steam vents. Without them, steam forces its way out at the edges and the lid can split.
• Let it rest. Cut straight from the oven, the filling runs; 20 minutes lets it thicken.

vi. Variations

American apple pie uses dessert apples, more cinnamon and often a lattice top. Dutch apple pie uses a crumble topping, and apple and blackberry pie is a classic British autumn version. In Yorkshire, apple pie is traditionally served with a slice of Wensleydale cheese. Adding quince to the filling is an old English touch.

For other apple desserts, see the flaky apple turnover, Austrian apfelstrudel and Polish szarlotka. Other fruit pies and tarts include the pear tart and spiced pear tart, and British treacle tart.

vii. Serving & storage

Serve apple pie warm, in generous slices, with hot custard, pouring cream, clotted cream or vanilla ice cream. In Britain it is a Sunday lunch and autumn favourite; in Yorkshire and the north, a slice of crumbly cheese is the traditional partner.

Keep the pie covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat slices in a 170 °C oven for 10–15 minutes to crisp the pastry. The whole unbaked pie freezes well for up to 3 months; bake from frozen, adding 15–20 minutes. The baked pie also freezes well.

ix. More from British & Irish

• Apple Turnover — flaky apple pastry
• Treacle Tart — golden syrup tart
• Bakewell Tart — almond and jam tart
• Apfelstrudel — Austrian apple strudel
• Szarlotka — Polish apple cake
• Eccles Cake — flaky currant pastry