Christmas recipe: How to make Classic Apple Pie

We'd asked you, dear readers, to share your Christmas recipes.

Gurgaon-based Kriti Singhal Agrawal shares her special Classic Apple Pie recipe. You can share yours too.

Apple pie

Kriti Singhal Agrawal says, 'The thought of making this recipe came to me when I recalled how my mother used to roast apples before eating them. She had asthma and was really scared of eating raw fruits.

'To keep her heart convinced that whatever she ate would not harm her, she'd come up with her own ways of consuming fruits.

'Apples were normally roasted and then with a little drizzle of black pepper and salt, she would eat them.

'I couldn't eat apple the she loved to have them, but I tweaked her style and came up with an advanced version. Here's my Classic Apple Pie recipe.'

Serves: 4

Baking time: 25 mins

Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

For the crust

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar, ground
2 tbsp ice cold water

For the apple filling

6 fresh apples, chopped finely
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp nutmeg powder
Juice of 2 lemons
4 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp sugar
Mint leaves

Method:

Knead the dough and let it rest.
Take all purpose flour in a bowl and add sugar. Mix well. Add diced butter and mix well using your hands. Don't use a spoon or ladle to mix.
After 5-10 mins, you will start noticing a crumbled texture on the flour. Dip your fingers in cold water and keep mixing it lightly. Once the dough is kneaded well, cover it in a cling film and let it rest in the fridge for 30 mins.
Take it out after 30 mins and roll it. Arrange it on the tart tin. Make sure you press the corners with your thumb, so that it sticks together in perfect shape. On the base, make impressions with the fork. This will ensure that the dough does not rise during baking. Spread kidney beans or chana on the top and bake well for 12 mins at 150º degrees.
Once the base turns light gold in colour, the tarts are ready. But do not remove them from the mould.

For the apple filling:

Put all the ingredients (except the lemon juice and mint) in a pan and keep stirring it lightly. Once the apples are moist and the caramel comes out of the pan due to sugar, switch off the gas.
Add lemon juice and mint leaves. Mix well. Taste it and adjust the spices.
Arrange the apple filling over the baked tarts. Cover the top with the dough (design it as per your choice).
Bake again for 10 mins or till the top turns golden. Take it out and let it cool down for around 2-3 hours.
Your classic apple pie is ready. Serve hot along with chilled vanilla ice cream.

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