Apple Pie

                    This word had fascinated me long before I even knew how to boil an egg or even make tea....at a time when I had nothing to do with kitchen, other than nagging my mom or playing hide and seek in its nooks and corners...It was Enid Blyton era and our fantasy world was filled with her characters.More than a dozen times, I had read 'Apple pie' and 'Ginger cakes' in Enid Blyton books and had wondered aloud what these things were.Unfortunately my mom had no idea. So now being a mother,I am happy that I know, and even can make an Apple pie for my son's little adventurous party.

                     A pie is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that covers or completely contains a filling of various sweet or savoury ingredients. It is prepared by baking fruits or vegetables in a  shell of pastry to keep it in shape.So..Yes! It's good for kids and they would no doubt love it.

                  Coming to Apple, there is no better fruit to make a pie, as it is rich in vitamins and easily blends into the taste of a pie.I got this Apple pie recipe from 'Joy of Baking' and it turned out perfect. It said ''Your home will be filled with the smell of baked apples and cinnamon'' and Oh! boy, didn't it? My son sniffed his way into my kitchen and never fell for my persuations to leave it until he had the pie :) I loved the look of it before it was cut,  but must confess that I spoiled it while serving. It is the only draw back I saw in the pie. Neverthless it tasted fantastic and was all juicy n crispy! Yum!

Here is the recipe..

Apple Pie Recipe

Things you need:
495g   flour
360g   butter, cut into cubes
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
150 ml cold water
extra flour for dusting

For filling:
6 granny smith apples
65g sugar
65g brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp flour
50g melted butter
1 egg, beaten with 2 tablespoon cream

Method:
Make the crust:

• Add the flour, salt sugar n butter to a mixing bowl and start whipping in low speed. Add water little by little and mix until the dough comes off the sides of the mixing bowl. Now remove it from the mixer and cut off a third of it using a knife, flatten them and wrap both the pieces of dough in separate cling films and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 180 degree C/ 350 degree F/ gas mark 4. Sprinkle extra flour on the work place and keep the larger dough on it after removing the film and start kneeding until soft. Roll it out into half a centimeter thickness taking care the dough doesn't stick to the work surface. Wrap it around the rolling pin and transfer to the pie pan. Fit the dough to the pan and pinch the edges of crust half a centimeter above the margin of pan. Place it in the refrigerater and chill for 15 to 20 minutes.

Make the filling:

• Take the apples, peel and seed them and cut into small pieces. Add sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon lemon juice,flour and melted butter and combine together using a spoon.
• Take the second dough, roll out and cut into 8 longitudinal strips of 1 inch width

Prepare for Oven:

•    Fill the pie pan of shell with apples. Brush the sides of the shell with the egg wash. Place the 8 dough strips across the pan in a weeved manner and cut the exess strips. Pinch the sides securely to the shell and brush the strips with egg wash.Now keep the pan into the middle wrack of oven and bake for about 60 minutes until the pie becomes golden brown in colour. Remove from oven and cool before serving.