Apple and sultana pie

Name: Apple and sultana pie
Yield: 8 slices from one pie
Cuisine: United Kingdom
Ingredients: 300 g Plain flour for the pastry; 170 g Unsalted butter for the pastry Cold and diced.; 10 g Caster sugar for the pastry; 4 g Fine salt for the pastry; 110 g Ice-cold water for the pastry; 25 g Flour for rolling Use light dustings.; 25 g Beaten egg for brushing; 10 g Caster sugar for the lid; 900 g Prepared firm tart apples Peeled and cored weight; slice about 5 mm thick. Use Granny Smith or another firm cooking apple.; 90 g Caster sugar for the filling; 20 g Unsalted butter for the filling; 20 g Lemon juice; 25 g Plain flour for the filling; 2 g Ground cinnamon; 1 g Fine salt for the filling; 50 g Soft sultanas Ready-to-eat, without added alcohol; do not soak.

Makes: 8 slices from one pie
Heat: 220°C conventional
Baking time: 20 min at 220°C, then 35–45 min at 190°C
Cuisine / style: United Kingdom

Conventional oven; total baking 55–65 minutes on a hot baking sheet. Shield the rim if it colours early.

United Kingdom · Apple pie

Apple and sultana pie

A crisp all-butter double crust around cooked tart apples and soft sultanas. Cool the pie before slicing so its filling can set.

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Ingredients

Group	Ingredient	Amount	Preparation
Pastry	Plain flour for the pastry	300 g
Pastry	Unsalted butter for the pastry	170 g	Cold and diced.
Pastry	Caster sugar for the pastry	10 g
Pastry	Fine salt for the pastry	4 g
Pastry	Ice-cold water for the pastry	110 g
Handling	Flour for rolling	25 g	Use light dustings.
Finish	Beaten egg for brushing	25 g
Finish	Caster sugar for the lid	10 g
Filling	Prepared firm tart apples	900 g	Peeled and cored weight; slice about 5 mm thick. Use Granny Smith or another firm cooking apple.
Filling	Caster sugar for the filling	90 g
Filling	Unsalted butter for the filling	20 g
Filling	Lemon juice	20 g
Filling	Plain flour for the filling	25 g
Filling	Ground cinnamon	2 g
Filling	Fine salt for the filling	1 g
Filling	Soft sultanas	50 g	Ready-to-eat, without added alcohol; do not soak.

Tools & alternatives

Utensil checklist

Tick the tools you have ready. Choose the recommended tool or its workaround; keep the specified pan size and heat rating.

Recommended Tools Regular Baker	Casual Baker Workarounds Hacks
Digital kitchen scale	Borrow a suitable scale for the gram amounts. Use measuring cups only where a volume is provided; fluff flour, spoon it in and level without packing.
Mixing bowls	Use a clean food-safe bowl with enough headroom for mixing or rising. For whipped whites, keep it free of grease.
Chopping board and knife	A clean, sharp kitchen knife is enough; use a serrated knife where the method calls for one.
Rolling pin	Use a clean, smooth, sturdy bottle with its cap secured. Roll gently; for pastry, keep the bottle cool and dry.
Bench scraper	Use a firm food-safe spatula for lifting dough, or a kitchen knife for dividing it. Avoid sharp edges on nonstick surfaces.
Baking paper	Use the equivalent utensil you already own, matching its size, material and heat rating to the method.
Refrigerator	Use the household fridge; reserve enough flat space for the dough or trays. A warm room is not a chilling substitute.
Pastry brush	For a cool wash or cool pan, use the back of a spoon or a folded food-safe paper towel. Keep fingers away from hot fat and cookware.
Oven gloves	Use the equivalent utensil you already own, matching its size, material and heat rating to the method.
Cooling rack	Set a clean, cool wire trivet over a tray. Let air reach underneath; a flat plate can trap steam.
23 cm metal pie tin about 4.5 cm deep	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.
Wide 28 cm heavy pan	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.
Shallow filling dish	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.
Sturdy baking sheet	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.
Foil or pie shield	Use the equivalent utensil you already own, matching its size, material and heat rating to the method.

Timing & recipe details

Time & temperature

Baking temperature: 220°C conventional
Baking time: 20 min at 220°C, then 35–45 min at 190°C

Conventional oven; total baking 55–65 minutes on a hot baking sheet. Shield the rim if it colours early.

Makes: 8 slices from one pie
Heat: 220°C conventional
Plan for: 440 min total; 100 min active

Method

01 · Make, divide and chill the pastry
65–70 min
Use: Plain flour for the pastry; Caster sugar for the pastry; Fine salt for the pastry; Unsalted butter for the pastry; Ice-cold water for the pastry
Mix the 300 g pastry flour, 10 g pastry sugar and 4 g pastry salt. Rub or cut in the 170 g cold butter until it remains in small flakes and pea-sized pieces. Add the 110 g ice-cold water and toss with a fork, then press into a cohesive dough without kneading. Divide into two pieces, about 356 g for the base and 238 g for the lid. Flatten into discs, wrap and refrigerate for 60 minutes.
Ready when: The dough holds when pressed, with small visible butter pieces; it is cold and firm after resting.
01 Apple and sultana piePrepare and chill two unequal pastry discs for the base and lid.
02 · Cook the filling while the pastry chills
30–40 min
Use: Prepared firm tart apples; Soft sultanas; Caster sugar for the filling; Plain flour for the filling; Ground cinnamon; Fine salt for the filling; Unsalted butter for the filling; Lemon juice
While the pastry chills, prepare the apples. Mix the 90 g filling sugar, 25 g filling flour, cinnamon and 1 g filling salt in a small bowl. Melt the 20 g filling butter in a wide 28 cm heavy pan, add the apples and lemon juice, and cook over medium heat for 8–12 minutes, stirring gently. Scatter the sugar mixture evenly over the wet fruit, add all the sultanas and stir well. Cook for 3–5 minutes more, until the juices bubble and thicken.
Ready when: The fruit is partly tender and still holds some shape; the juices coat it thickly rather than running freely.
02 Apple and sultana pieCook the apple slices and sultanas until the juices thicken around the fruit.
03 · Cool all the cooked filling completely
45–60 min
Use:
Spread all the cooked filling in a shallow dish and let it cool completely, allowing up to 60 minutes. Refrigerate if it is ready before the pastry. Do not put warm filling into the cold pastry.
Ready when: The fruit is cool throughout with no thin liquid pooling around it.
03 Apple and sultana pieSpread all the filling in a shallow dish and cool completely.
04 · Line the tin with the larger pastry portion and fill
25–30 min
Use: Flour for rolling
Use a 23 cm metal pie tin about 4.5 cm deep. Lightly flour the worktop and roll the larger pastry disc to about 32 cm across and 3 mm thick. Ease it into the tin without stretching, letting it settle into the corners. Leave about 1 cm pastry overhanging the rim. Add all the cold filling and level it into a shallow mound, keeping the pastry rim clean.
Ready when: The pastry has no holes and the filling fits below the rim at the sides, with only a small central mound.
04 Apple and sultana pieLine the tin and add all the cold filling in a shallow mound.
05 · Seal with the smaller portion, vent and chill
40–45 min
Use: Flour for rolling; Beaten egg for brushing
Roll the smaller pastry disc to about 27 cm across and 3 mm thick. Brush the base rim lightly with some finishing egg, lay the lid over the fruit and trim to a matching 1 cm overhang. Fold both overhangs under together and pinch to seal. Cut five small steam vents near the centre. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. During that time, heat the oven to 220°C conventional with a sturdy baking sheet on the lower-third rack. Keep unused pastry trimmings separate.
Ready when: The pie has a sealed cold double crust, small vents and no filling trapped in the rim.
05 Apple and sultana pieSeal the lid, cut five small vents and chill the assembled pie.
06 · Bake at 220°C, then reduce to 190°C
55–65 min
Use: Beaten egg for brushing; Caster sugar for the lid
Brush the lid lightly with the remaining finishing egg and scatter over the 10 g topping sugar. Put the pie tin on the hot baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven to 190°C conventional and bake for 35–45 minutes more. Shield the rim with foil if it browns early.
Ready when: The top and visible edges of the base are deeply golden and dry; thick filling bubbles steadily through the vents. A thin knife through a vent meets tender fruit.
06 Apple and sultana pieBake until the crust is deeply golden and the fruit is tender.
07 · Cool for at least three hours
180 min
Use:
Put the tin on a rack and cool for at least 3 hours before slicing. The filling needs this time to thicken as it loses heat.
Ready when: The pastry is set and the filling no longer flows like hot sauce when the pie is gently moved.
07 Apple and sultana pieCool the pie in its tin before cutting so the filling can set.
08 · Cut eight portions
3–5 min
Use:
Cut the cooled pie into eight portions with a sharp knife.
Ready when: The filling holds inside each slice; some soft fruit may settle at the cut edge.
08 Apple and sultana pieCut the cooled pie into eight portions.

What to look for

Stage	Look / feel for	Needs attention
Make, divide and chill the pastry	The dough holds when pressed, with small visible butter pieces; it is cold and firm after resting.
Cook the filling while the pastry chills	The fruit is partly tender and still holds some shape; the juices coat it thickly rather than running freely.
Cool all the cooked filling completely	The fruit is cool throughout with no thin liquid pooling around it.
Line the tin with the larger pastry portion and fill	The pastry has no holes and the filling fits below the rim at the sides, with only a small central mound.
Seal with the smaller portion, vent and chill	The pie has a sealed cold double crust, small vents and no filling trapped in the rim.
Bake at 220°C, then reduce to 190°C	The top and visible edges of the base are deeply golden and dry; thick filling bubbles steadily through the vents. A thin knife through a vent meets tender fruit.
Cool for at least three hours	The pastry is set and the filling no longer flows like hot sauce when the pie is gently moved.
Cut eight portions	The filling holds inside each slice; some soft fruit may settle at the cut edge.

Troubleshooting

If you see this	Likely cause	What to do now	Next time
The pastry becomes greasy or tears while rolling.	Warm butter or excessive handling weakens the dough.	Chill the pastry until firm and patch small tears with a thin piece of spare pastry.	Use cold ingredients, light dustings and gentle handling; avoid stretching pastry into the tin.
The top browns before the base is ready.	The top receives more heat than the pastry against the tin.	Shield the top or rim loosely with foil and continue until the base and filling meet the stated cues.	Use the specified metal pan, cooled filling and preheated baking sheet.

Storage: Cover the cooled pie and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze slices for up to 1 month. Reheat slices until hot through if serving warm.; Contains: wheat, milk, egg, sulphites if present in sultanas.; This Nepedia version has not been kitchen-tested.

Ingredient choices & substitutions

No brand is specified.

Match the ingredient’s function and weight. See the flour, gluten, yeast and salt guide.

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