Ingredients
For the pastry
350g salted butter
450g strong white flour
30g caster sugar
130ml ice cold water
2g fine sea salt
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
For the caramel sauce
250g golden caster sugar
200g salted butter
8g flaked sea salt
400ml double cream
For the filling
5 apples, mixed varieties like Braeburn, Jazz, Bramley, Pink Lady
2 tbsp cornflour
Zest and juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon
1 tsbsp allspice or cinnamon
To top
Demerara sugar
1 egg
Method
- Start by making your pastry. Slice your cold butter into very small pieces, and place into a bowl. Pop into the fridge to harden.
- Add the strong white flour, caster sugar and salt into a mixing bowl and whisk to evenly combine. Add the butter and vanilla at this point, and using your fingertips, rub the butter and flour together gently to create large shaggy pieces. You want to have pea sized bits of butter left. Add half of the water and mix in quickly to form your dough.
- Place onto a lightly floured worktop and form the dough into a circle. Wrap in cling film, and pop into the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- To make your salted caramel sauce, add your sugar into a heavy bottomed pot. Turn the heat onto medium, and every 20 seconds, give the pot a swirl. You do not want to agitate the sugar as it will crystallize. Do this until you cannot see any sugar graines left. Turn the heat to high, continuously swirling until the sugar has turned a golden brown.
- Turn off the heat, (and at this point be very careful as this will spit and foam) add your butter. Using a wooden spoon, stir continuously until you have a lovely glossy sauce. Add the salt and cream at this point and stir. Turn on the heat and warm it through slightly. (5 minutes on a low heat.) Turn off and allow to cool.
- Preheat your oven to 200C/180 Fan.
- Peel and chop your apples into wedges, add to a mixing bowl along with 1/3 of the salted caramel sauce, zest and juice of the lemon and orange. Gently toss around, then add the cornflour and allspice/cinnamon powder.
- Dust your work surface again and unwrap your dough- leaving around 1/3 for the lattice if you wish to do one.
- Roll out to around 3mm, and place into a buttered pie dish leaving a slight overhang. Add your salted caramel apples. Roll out the remaining dough and assemble your lattice or just roll out a top layer.
- Brush with an egg yolk and sprinkle demerara sugar over for a deliciously crunchy top. Bake for 1 hour/ 1 Hour 10 minutes- until a rich golden brown. Serve warm with an extra drizzle of your salted caramel sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.