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Delia Smith Apple Pie Recipe

Delia Smith Apple Pie Recipe

Delia Smith's apple pie recipe gives you crisp, buttery pastry and a perfectly spiced apple filling that isn't watery or soggy.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Chilling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 8 Slices
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: British
Calories: 340
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Shortcrust Pastry:
  • 300 g plain flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 150 g cold unsalted butter cubed
  • 2 –3 tbsp cold water
  • 1 egg beaten, for glazing
  • Apple Filling:
  • 900 g cooking apples peeled, cored and sliced
  • 100 g caster sugar plus extra for sprinkling
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 tbsp plain flour or ground almonds

Method
 

  1. Make the pastry by rubbing butter into flour, adding cold water, then chilling for 30 minutes.
  2. Cook the sliced apples with sugar and spices for 5–6 minutes. Drain and cool.
  3. Roll out half the pastry and line a 23cm pie dish.
  4. Sprinkle flour or ground almonds over the base.
  5. Fill with the cooled apple mixture.
  6. Top with the remaining pastry, seal edges, and slit the top.
  7. Glaze with beaten egg, sprinkle with sugar, and bake at 200°C (180°C fan) for 35–40 minutes.
  8. Rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Pre-cooking the apples is the single most effective step against a soggy base.
Don't skip the flour or almond layer on the pastry base.
Chill pastry fully before rolling to prevent shrinkage during baking.
Rest the baked pie for 10–15 minutes before cutting for neater slices.
Freezes well both baked and unbaked for up to 3 months.