Apple Pie

Now that fall is here, everyone's thoughts are turning to the coming holidays, cozy days spent lazing in front of a fireplace, spending time with family and friends and trying to keep out of the cold!

Growing up in England, as I did, meant that you generally ate whatever was in season, and right about now were the "late" fruits such as as damsons, plums, gooseberries and, of course, apples.

Cooking apples were bought at the market as they were cheap and nearly always available and with them you could make apple pie, apple crumble, apple upside-down pudding or just plain old baked apples! So it's not surprising that as soon as fall arrives, my thoughts turn to baking apple pie. The recipe below for Old English apple pie, with its filling of apple, dried fruit and spices makes the pastry "from scratch" which is more usual in England, but you can substitute your favorite pie crust mix if you prefer.

Ingredients for the Pastry

• 8 oz (2 cups) all purpose flour
• pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons caster sugar
• 4 oz (1/2 cup) butter
• 2-3 tablespoons cold water
  

Ingredients for the Filling

• 1 1/2 lbs cooking apples, peeled cored and sliced (firm apples such as Pippin, Rome Beauty and Granny Smith)
• 4 tablespoons dried sultanas or raisins
• 6 oz (2/3 cup) light brown sugar
• Finely grated rind and juice of half a lemon
  

To Finish

• milk
• caster sugar
  

Method

1. To prepare the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl, then stir in the sugar. Add the butter in pieces and rub into the flour with the fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs (you can use a food processor for this, if you prefer). Stir in enough cold water to hold the mixture together, then form into a smooth ball. Wrap in foil or greaseproof paper and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Divide the dough in two and roll out one half on a floured board to a circle to fit the base of an 8-inch pie dish.
3. Put the apples in a mixing bowl, then stir in the remaining filling ingredients. Spoon into the dough-lined pie dish. Roll out the remaining dough to a circle for the lid. Lay over the filling, pressing down and sealing the edge with water. Flute the edge with your fingers or crimp with the prongs of a fork. Brush with a little milk and dredge with caster sugar. Make a slit in the center of the pie for the steam to escape.
4. Bake on a baking sheet in the center of a fairly hot oven (400 degF) for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to moderate (350 degF) and continue baking for 20 minutes.
5. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
   

In England apple pie is usually served with custard sauce, or sweetened whipped cream. I have never seen the custard sauce in America, but it is usually made with a vanilla flavored powder (Bird's Custard Powder) to which hot milk and sugar are added and it makes a thick, yellow sauce which is delicious!

If you want to be really authentic and try this it can be purchased online at www.ukgoods.com.

A tangy cheddar cheese is also good with apple pie, and the two are often served together in England.

Hot Cross Buns, an English Tradition

One of the traditions in England is eating Hot Cross Buns at Easter. At this time of year you can smell them baking when you walk past the bakeries in the cities, small towns and villages. It is traditional to eat them split, toasted and buttered on Good Friday (originally for breakfast, but now people in offices tend to run out to the store and buy some for an 11 o'clock snack). The buns are a dough like mixture to which candied peel, cinnamon and nutmeg are added and this is shaped into a ball which has a pastry cross on the top (in commemoration of Christ's Crucifixion). Originally, the dough balls were marked with a cross prior to baking to ward off evil spirits that might prevent them from rising, and on Good Friday this practice is still observed. Below is the recipe for these yummy treats.

Recipe for Hot Cross Buns - makes 6 buns

Ingredients
1/2 cup whole milk
2 cups bread flour, or as needed
2 tablespoons superfine sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1//4 teaspoon ground mace
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1 1/2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
1 teaspoon rapid rise yeast
1/3 cup (2oz) each, dried currants,
golden raisins (sultanas) and mixed
candied citrus peel
1 large egg, beaten

For the Pastry Cross
1/3 cup(2oz) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, diced
1 teaspoon superfine sugar

For the Glaze
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1. In a small saucepan, warm the milk to 105 degrees F (40degC). Remove from the heat and set aside.

2. Sift the 2 cups bread flour into a large bowl. Stir in the superfine sugar, salt, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture forms crumbs the size of fine bread crumbs. Mix in the yeast and then the currants, raisins, and candied peel. make a well in the center and stir in the egg and enough of the reserved milk to form a soft dough. It should no be too sticky; if it clings to your fingers, add more flour.

3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead thoroughly until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm place until the dough has risen by a third, 3-5 hours. The timing depends on the temperature of the kitchen.

4. Lightly oil a baking sheet. Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead for 1 minute, then divide into 6 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a neat ball and place on the prepared baking sheet, flattening each ball slightly. Cover lightly with plastic rap and set aside until the dough is very puffy, about 45 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven to 400 degreesF (200degC). To make the pastry crosses, sift the all-purpose flour into a small bowl. Using your fingertips, rub in the butter until the mixture forms fine crumbs. Mix in the superfine sugar. Stir in 1 tablespoon cold water to make a firm dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll into a rectangle about 8 inches by 2 inches and 1/8-inch thick. Cut the pastry into 12 strips, each about 4 inches long and 1/4-inch wide. For each bun, brush 2 strips with a little water and arrange, brushed side down, in a cross on the top of the bun. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, make the glaze. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the milk and
granulated sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Raise the heat to high and boil vigorously until the glaze becomes syrupy, about 30 seconds.

7. When the buns are done, transfer to a wire rack and immediately brush with the hot glaze. Serve the buns warm or at room temperature. They can also be split open and toasted.