Ingredients:

  • 350g All-Purpose (Plain) Flour
  • 225g Unsalted Butter (very cold, cubed)
  • 1 tablespoon Granulated Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
  • 100–120ml Ice Water
  • 4 kg Cooking Apples (peeled, cored, and thickly sliced)
  • 150g Light Brown Sugar (packed)
  • 50g Granulated Sugar
  • 3 tablespoons All-Purpose (Plain) Flour or Cornflour (Cornstarch)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed)
  • 1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter (cubed, for dotting)
  • 1 Large Egg (beaten)
  • 1 tablespoon Milk or Cream
  • 1–2 tablespoons Coarse Turbinado Sugar

Instructions:

  1. Phase I: Pastry Preparation. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl or food processor. Add cold, cubed butter. Pulse or use fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with pea-sized butter pieces remaining.
  2. Slowly stream in ice water, mixing only until the dough just comes together. Divide the dough into two slightly unequal discs, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  3. Phase II: Filling Assembly. Peel, core, and thickly slice the apples. In a separate bowl, whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour/cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  4. Toss the sugar-spice mixture and lemon juice thoroughly with the apple slices until every piece is coated.
  5. Phase III: Assembly & Baking. Roll out the larger dough disc and carefully transfer it to a 9-inch pie plate. Trim edges, leaving a 1-inch overhang.
  6. Spoon the apple filling into the crust, mounding it slightly. Dot the top of the apples with the tablespoon of cubed butter.
  7. Roll out the second dough disc. Place it over the filling (or use strips for a lattice). Crimp the top and bottom edges together firmly to seal, trimming excess dough.
  8. Cut 4–5 steam vents in the top crust. Brush the top surface evenly with the egg wash (egg + milk) and sprinkle generously with coarse sugar.
  9. Place the assembled pie on a preheated baking sheet. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F (190°C) and bake for another 45–55 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown and filling is bubbling.
  10. Allow the pie to cool on a wire rack for a minimum of 3 hours before slicing to allow the filling to set properly.