Learn how to make the best apple pie ever with this step by step apple pie recipe, including a secret ingredient - caramel! Nothing beats a homemade apple pie!
This video covers the pie crust, filling, crumble and pie assembly. Watch the whole video to make in full, or see below timings for the breakdown of sections.
Download and print the full recipe here.
Pie Crust @ 1:05 mins
Pie Filling @ 6:00 mins
Pie Crumble @ 9:59 mins
How To Roll Out Pie Crust @ 12:15 mins
Pie Assembly @ 13:09 mins
Ingredients
See individual breakdown below for the pie crust, filling, caramel and crumble.
Pie Assembly Method
Prepare the pie crust, pie filling, caramel and crumble. Most of the components can be made in advance. It’s not necessary to make all on the same day! All of the components just need to be ready to assemble on pie day.
Lightly grease a pie dish with butter.
Roll out the pie dough to cover your dish.
Prick the bottom of the pie base with a fork.
Add roughly half of the pie filling apples to the pie base.
Then add 100g of the caramel sauce over the apples and try to spread evenly.
Top with remaining pie filling apples.
Pour 500g of pie crumble on top, making sure apples are all covered to the edge of the pie with the crumble. Add a little extra crumble if necessary.
Lightly coat any of the pie base that is showing on the sides with egg wash or a little bit of milk.
Bake at 180 degrees Celsius (350F) until golden and hot in the centre (approximately 60 minutes). Rotate after 30 minutes. Cover the top with parchment paper if it is browning too much.
Pie Crust / Shortcrust Pasty
250g all purpose flour
120g butter (unsalted)
50ml water
1 egg yolk
Pinch of salt
Pinch of sugar
Pie Crust Method
Place flour on bench top and make a well.
In the well, add egg yolk and water, followed by pinch of salt and sugar and then whisk together the wet ingredients. Don’t incorporate the flour yet.
Cut the butter into small pieces and place in the well.
Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and then squeeze into your hands. Continue to sprinkle and squeeze until all combined and the dough starts to form.
Roll the dough into a disc and cover with plastic wrap for at least 2 hours before use. Bring the dough to room temperature for approximately 30 - 45 minutes before use, or until workable.
NOTE: To speed things up, this pie crust can also be made in advance or you can use your favourite store bought pie crust, but nothing beats homemade!
Pie Filling
1kg apples (any variety - I prefer green apples)
100g butter
100g brown sugar
2g cinnamon
5g vanilla
Squeeze of lemon juice
Pie Filling Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
In a large bowl melt the butter, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Stir to combine.
Peel and evenly slice the apples.
Toss the apples in the large bowl with the sauce.
Turn the coated apples onto the baking tray. Pour over any remaining sauce onto the apples and then bake for approximately 20 minutes or until tender (important not to over cook or the apples will go mushy).
Allow the filling to cool to room temperature.
Ensure to strain the apples from the juice / sauce otherwise it will make the pie too watery.
Caramel Sauce
1 x 395g sweetened condensed milk
Method
Pour sweetened condensed milk into a medium sized, microwavable bowl.
Heat on a high wattage for one minute and then whisk.
Reduce wattage to a medium heat and then continue to heat in the microwave in one minute increments. After each minute, whisk the milk.
Ensure to keep an eye on the mixture - if it looks like it’s going to boil over the sides, press stop until the mixture reduces and then continue to cook. It will start to mottled, but will become an even consistency once whisked.
The mixture is ready when it has reduced to a semi thick consistency, and it is a light caramel colour. Do not heat until a dark caramel in colour - it will be overcooked.
My caramel was ready after 7 minutes, however it can range anywhere from 5 - 10 minutes depending on the age of the sweetened condensed milk, and microwave strength.
Pie Crumble (makes enough for toppings for two pies - 500g per pie)
270g butter
410g flour
160g brown sugar
90g white sugar
70g rolled oats
3g salt
2g cinnamon
Pie Crumble Method
In a large bowl, add all of the dry ingredients (everything but the butter) and then whisk.
Cut the butter into cube sized pieces and then using your hands, rub the butter into the dry mixture until incorporated and pea sized crumbs start to form, and you have a crumble texture (careful not to over-rub / mix).
Crumble can be made fresh or bagged and frozen for future use on pies, tarts and crumbles.
