Deep dish apple and strawberry pie

Le Creuset asked me to make a pie recipe that showcases their beautiful new ceramic pie dish and I knew an apple and strawberry pie would be perfect for it. Inspired by my favourite strawberry and apple crumble recipe and the pastry from this nectarine & blueberry pie, I put this together.

The strawberries give this pie a slightly tart edge and a lovely pink colour. I used fresh but frozen would work, just add them in whole.

As apple pie needs to hold its shape much more than apple crumble, I prefer to cook the apples before they go in. I don’t like the texture of firm apples in a pie. This might be controversial as many pie recipes include raw apple slices. By cooking the apples first you ensure that they will be cooked in the final dessert.

You can pre-make the filling and allow it to cool before assembling and pre-make the pastry. Just bring it to room temperature when you are ready to roll it out. This recipe makes a little more pastry than you need.

All-butter pie crust pastry is easy to make and this recipe is pliable and fool-proof. Just follow the steps outlined in the recipe and in the video, you can see how easy it is to create the lattice topping.

This gorgeous Le Creuset pie dish is 23cm but is very deep so this makes a robust pie.

About the Le Creuset pie dish:

Ideal for making sweet and savoury pies or tarts, the sloped sides of this dish make it easy to cut clean slices when serving. Crafted from durable stoneware, this versatile dish is a kitchen essential that beautifully transitions from oven to table.

 CLEANING: DISHWASHER-SAFE

GUARANTEE: 10-YEAR GUARANTEE

FEATURES: 

• Colour co-ordinates with the rest of the Le Creuset Stoneware range
• Safe for use in the oven, microwave, fridge, or freezer
• Resistant to staining and will not absorb flavours or odours
• High-quality exterior enamel protects against marks and scratches

A few tips to remember when making this apple and strawberry pie:

The pastry is baked initially on the lowest shelf of the oven to crisp up the base. Ensure you bake it for the full time indicated in the recipe and keep it in the oven for an extra 10 minutes (with the oven off) once baked.

Loosely cover the pie with tin foil from about 20 minutes in to prevent over-browning, I tend to do this with most of my baking but every oven is different. Remove the foil if you need to brown it up a bit more.

Allow the pie to cool for about 30 minutes before cutting and serving. If you want it completely firm, allow it to cool for longer.

The filling can be made in advance and cooled and added to the pie.

Be careful not to roll the pastry out too thickly (my top lattice was a little too thick).

What to serve with apple and strawberry pie:

Vanilla ice cream is a classic combination to serve with this apple and strawberry pie.  I also like lightly whipped cream or chantilly cream (a dash of vanilla and icing sugar added).

Home-made creme Anglaise is also an amazing accompaniment and you can find a delicious recipe here.

Cinnamon and a hint of nutmeg add a little spice to this dish, but add more if you prefer.

Makes one large pie – serving 8 – 10 people

Apple and strawberry pie

A classic apple pie with strawberries in a flaky crisp pastry.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:40 minutes mins

Cook Time:1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Ingredients

Pastry:

• 450 gm cake flour
• 60 ml/1/4 cup 4 Tbsp icing sugar
• ½ tsp fine salt
• 300 gm cold salted butter cut into cubes
• 1 large free-range egg yolk
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 45 –60 ml ice-cold water

Filling:

• 12 apples golden delicious or Pink Lady, peeled, cored and cut into thick slices
• 250 gms fresh or frozen strawberries sliced thickly if using fresh
• 2 Tbs butter
• 150 gms Demarara/Muscovado or dark brown sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• The zest and juice of one orange
• 4 Tbsp strawberry jam
• 35 gms corn starch
• 1 egg for the egg wash

Instructions

• To make the pastry sift the dry ingredients and add to the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix until you have the texture of breadcrumbs.
• Add the egg yolk, lemon juice, and water (in parts) until the dough comes together. Add a splash more water if necessary.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and briefly knead to get it together. Wrap in cling film and chill for an hour.
• While the dough is cooling make the filling (or you could make this in advance and have it cooled). Melt the butter in a large skillet and add the apples along with the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange zest and juice. Cook for about 8 minutes until they start to soften.
• Remove from the heat and scoop the apple slices onto a tray and allow to cool. Put the pan with the liquid back onto the heat and add the sifted cornstarch. Using. Whisk and stir this until you have a paste-like texture. Cook for a minute or 2. Don’t worry if it is very thick. Allow to cool.
• Add the cooled paste, apple slices, sliced strawberries and strawberry jam to the bowl and gently toss until the mixture is well combined (this can be made in advance).
• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F
• Cut a third of the pastry off and wrap it in cling film to prevent drying. Roll the remaining pastry out on a well-floured surface to a size that would easily cover your pie dish with overhanging pastry. Drape it over the pie dish, press I into all the corners and fill and trim off any overhang. Allow some pastry on the edge for crimping and fold the edges under to create a smooth edge around the curves of the dish. Crimp the edges if you are not using a Le Creuset pie dish
• Fill with pie with the fruit filling mixture.
• Add the trimmed pastry to the remaining pastry and roll this out onto a floured surface once again. Roll it out a little thinner than what I did in the pics.
• Cut the pastry into strips using a ruler to ensure each strip is the same width. Cut strips around 2cm – 2.5cm thick. Place the pastry over the fruit in your desired lattice and then crimp the edges. Wash the pastry with egg wash.
• Bake on the lowest shelf in your oven for 10 minutes then turn the oven down to 180C/350F and bake for a further 60 – 65 minutes. Watch and loosely cover the pie with tin foil to prevent over-browning if necessary. I normally cover the pie from about 20 minutes into the baking time and then remove it towards the end if necessary. Keep baking the pie until it is very golden brown
• Turn the oven off and leave the pie in for a further 10 minutes and then allow to cool for about 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

The filling can be made in advance.

Servings: 1 large pie

Author: Sam Linsell

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