How to Make Apple Pie: The Little Nests Way

There’s a particular cheer that rises from the Bakery when the first pie of the day comes out golden and crackling. Here’s our cosy, no-nonsense method for a classic double-crust apple pie—crisp pastry, tender fruit, and a syrupy filling that doesn’t run.

At a glance

• Yield: 1 pie (22–23 cm / 9″), ~8 slices
• Time: 30 min prep + 2 hrs resting + 55–65 min baking
• Difficulty: Gentle weekend project

Ingredients

Butter pastry (or use your favourite)

1. 320 g plain flour (2 ⅔ cups)
2. 1 tbsp caster sugar
3. ½ tsp fine salt
4. 225 g cold unsalted butter, cubed (2 sticks)
5. 90–120 ml ice-cold water (6–8 tbsp), as needed

Apple filling

1. 1.2 kg firm apples, peeled & sliced 5–6 mm (about 6–8 medium; Bramley, Granny Smith, Braeburn, Jonagold)
   • 120 g sugar (⅔ cup; mix white & light brown) — reduce to 90 g if apples are very sweet
   • 2 tbsp lemon juice + zest of ½ lemon
     • 30 g cornflour/cornstarch (¼ cup)
2. 1 tsp ground cinnamon
   • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
3. ¼ tsp fine salt
   • 30 g cold unsalted butter, in small pieces (2 tbsp)

For finishing

• 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp milk (egg wash)
• 1–2 tsp demerara/turbinado sugar, for sparkle

Equipment

• 22–23 cm (9″) pie dish (metal is best for a crisp base)
• Rolling pin, large bowl, small saucepan (for optional syrup step)
• Baking sheet to preheat under the pie

Step-by-step

1) Make the pastry

1. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, and salt.
2. Rub or cut in the butter until you have pea-sized bits with some flat shards—think “flaky rubble.”
3. Sprinkle in ice water, tossing with a fork just until the dough clumps when squeezed.
4. Divide into two discs (one slightly larger for the base), wrap, and chill at least 1 hour (up to 2 days).

2) Prep the apples

1. Toss slices with sugar, lemon juice, zest, spices, and salt.
2. Golden extra step (prevents soggy bottoms): Let apples sit 20–30 min, then pour off the juices into a small pan. Simmer the juices to a thick syrup (3–5 min). Cool briefly.
3. Sprinkle cornflour over the apples and toss. Stir the reduced syrup back through (or skip if you didn’t reduce).

3) Roll and assemble

1. Heat oven to 220 °C / 425 °F with a baking sheet inside.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the larger dough disc to ~30 cm (12″). Line the pie dish; let excess overhang.
3. Pile in the apples, slightly mounded. Dot with the 30 g butter.
4. Roll the second disc to ~27–28 cm (11″). Top the pie (or make a lattice). Trim, tuck, and crimp.
5. Cut a few steam vents if using a full lid. Brush with egg wash; sprinkle demerara sugar.

4) Bake

1. Set the pie on the preheated baking sheet (great for a crisp base).
2. Bake 20 min at 220 °C / 425 °F, then reduce to 190 °C / 375 °F and bake 35–45 min more, until deeply golden and you can see thick juices bubbling at the vents.
3. If the edges brown too fast, shield with foil.

5) Rest (be brave!)

Let the pie cool at least 2 hours before slicing so the filling sets. This is the hardest step and the most important.

Variations & swaps

• Brown-butter twist: Brown 40 g (3 tbsp) butter and mix into the filling for nutty depth.
• Cheddar crust (very British): Swap 60 g of the flour for finely grated sharp cheddar; reduce salt slightly.
• Crumble-top (Dutch style): Skip the top crust; mix 75 g flour + 75 g oats + 80 g brown sugar + 80 g cold butter into crumbs and scatter over apples.
• Store-bought shortcut: Two ready-rolled crusts work—still do the juice-reduction step for a better set.

Tips for success

• Apple mix = best texture. A tart, firm variety (Granny Smith/Bramley) plus a sweeter one (Braeburn/Jonagold) gives bright flavour and tender bite.
• Cold dough, hot oven. Chill assembled pie 10 minutes while the oven finishes heating.
• Cornflour accuracy. Too little = runny; too much = gummy. Measure!
• Soggy base insurance: Metal pie tin + preheated baking sheet + reduced juices = crisp bottom.

Serving & keeping

• Serve slightly warm with vanilla ice cream, softly whipped cream, or a spoon of custard.
• Keeps covered at room temperature 1 day, then refrigerate up to 3 days.
• Reheat slices at 180 °C / 350 °F for 8–12 min to revive the crust.

A final Little Nests note

Apple pie rewards unhurried hands: cool pastry, patient bubbling, and a proper rest. Do those three, and you’ll have that bakery-window glow right at your own table.