appleberry pie

servings
10–12

method

Even though it has a strong British heritage, America has embraced the apple pie to the point that it’s now considered a quintessentially American dessert. American pies often look like the ones from those Desperate Dan comics – big, robust and full of attitude. The crumble-like topping sprinkled over my pie is an idea I’ve been playing about with, and I think it helps make it unique. Because huckleberries grow wild in Wyoming, I felt it was only right to use them, but feel free to use fresh or frozen blueberries in their place for equally delicious results. Assembling your pie is dead easy, and I’ll talk you through it step by step, but if you’d like to see how it’s done before you start, check out the How to video for a demonstration.

You can make your pastry by hand, or simply pulse all the ingredients in a food processor. If making by hand, sieve the flour, icing sugar and salt from a height into a large mixing bowl. Use your fingertips to gently work the cubes of butter into the flour and sugar until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Transfer a handful of this mixture to a separate bowl, rub it between your fingers to get larger crumbs, then put aside. Add the eggs and milk to the main mixture and gently work it together until you have a ball of pastry dough. Don’t work it too much at this stage – you want to keep it crumbly and short. Sprinkle a little flour over the pastry, then wrap it in cling film and pop it into the fridge to rest for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, put the apples into a large pan with the zest and juice of 1 orange, a splash of water and 5 tablespoons of caster sugar. Cover the pan and simmer on a medium heat for 10 minutes, until the apples have softened but still hold their shape. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Scrunch a handful of berries in a bowl with the remaining caster sugar and the zest and juice of your remaining orange. Add the rest of the berries. Toss the cooled apples and their juices in a large bowl with the berries and the flour, then put aside.

Preheat your oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Take your ball of pastry out of the fridge and let it come up to room temperature. Get yourself a pie dish around 28cm in diameter. Flour a clean surface and a rolling pin. Cut off a third of your pastry and put that piece to one side. Roll the rest into a circle just over 0.5cm thick, dusting with flour as you go. Roll the circle of pastry up over your rolling pin, then gently unroll it over the pie dish. Push it into the sides, letting any excess pastry hang over the edge. Tip in the fruit filling and brush all around the edge of the pastry with some of the beaten egg. Roll out the smaller ball of pastry about 0.5cm thick and use your rolling pin to lay it over the top of the pie. Brush it all over with more beaten egg, reserving a little. Sprinkle over the reserved crumble mixture and the demerara sugar.

Fold the scruffy edges of pastry hanging over the sides back over the pie, sealing the edge by twisting or crimping it as you like. Brush these folded edges with your remaining beaten egg. Using a small, sharp knife, cut a cross into the middle of the pie. Place on the bottom of the oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until golden and beautiful. Serve with ice cream, cream or custard.

Wine suggestion:
Italian sweet white – a Moscato d’Asti from Piedmont.

Find out more about Jamie’s American Road Trip tv show and Jamie’s America Book

ingredients

optional: good-quality vanilla ice cream, cream or custard, to serve

For the pastry:
• 500g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 100g icing sugar
a pinch of sea salt
• 250g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
• 2 large eggs, preferably free-range or organic
• a splash of milk

For the filling:
• 10 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and halved, 3 sliced
• juice and zest of 2 oranges
• 7 heaped tablespoons caster sugar
• 400g huckleberries or blueberries
• 1 heaped tablespoon plain flour
• 1 large egg, preferably freerange or organic, beaten
• a small handful of demerara sugar

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1. by Grigory on Sat 11 Feb 2012 @ 14:20

Please,on russian language

2. by Lorna on Sat 24 Dec 2011 @ 19:32

I made this recipe and the filling came out quite runny - perhaps I didn't cook the apples long enough or there was too much juice from the berries... delicious though! I love it.

3. by jodnie on Sun 30 Oct 2011 @ 17:10

goood recipe!!!

4. by amy on Fri 23 Sep 2011 @ 03:27

I love this recipe. I have used it at home in Australia a number of times and it turned out absolutely beautifully, both filling and pastry. I've just tried it now and Canada and it was a huge flop. The pastry was too oily and when cooked turned like concrete. As I have learnt, North America uses lard in their pastries :(

5. by jacquim9990 on Sun 14 Aug 2011 @ 10:26

I made the pastry, it sounded so fab, however it's sooo short that I ended up with a patchwork quilt!! lol... not.

6. by Fatimah on Mon 08 Aug 2011 @ 04:33

What happen to the egg for the filling? And do we still need the juice in the pan after the apples been cooked?

7. by Mandy on Wed 03 Aug 2011 @ 13:22

Thank you for bringing the joy of cooking back into my life.I love all your books and shows.Youe enthusiasim for cooking is catching. Keep the good work up but don't burn yourself out!!

8. by Denise on Sat 06 Mar 2010 @ 15:58

What happens with the handful of pastry mixture that is set to one side with the remaining egg added?

9. by mariakir on Wed 20 Jan 2010 @ 19:27

i loved this pie! it was sooooooo beautuful and delicious and not heavy and reminded of summer :) i had some small peace of pastry left and the next day i made an open pie with the filling from orange and lemon was also very tasty. i like this pastry :)

10. by Sophie Salling on Thu 19 Nov 2009 @ 16:39

Hey, the pie looks great, look forward to make it :)
A little question, if they are being answered? Is this recipe in any of the cookbooks?
Sorry if my english is a little hard to understand, I'm from Denmark.

Best wishes Sophie
PS: Love your books, just bought Jamie's Dinners, it's great :D

11. by Iris86 on Tue 17 Nov 2009 @ 12:10

The recipe is amazing! It's my favorite apple pie! Thank you, Jamie!

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