Maple Apple Pies

1. Peel and chop the apples into cubes (about 1cm) and place in a saucepan with the maple syrup. Cook on a low heat for 3-5 mins until the apple is just soft but not a purée. Pour into a bowl, cover and chill.

2. To make the pastry, place butter and flour in a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until it looks like fine breadcrumbs (or pulse in a processor). Mix the syrup with cold water and add a drop at a time to the pastry until it comes together to form a ball of dough (don’t knead it or touch it too much). Flatten the pastry into a disc, wrap in cling film and chill for 30 mins. When the pastry is chilled, preheat your oven to 190C.

3. Roll out the pastry between two sheets of cling film/baking parchment (this stops it sticking and means you don’t add extra unnecessary flour). Use the larger cutter to cut 12 bases and gently push one into each hole of the tin. Fill each with 1 heaped spoonful of apple, brush round the top with a little beaten (free range) egg. Roll and cut the 12 smaller lids and gently place on top of each, pushing the edges together to seal it. Using a sharp knife pierce a small hole in each to let out steam and bake for 20 mins or until the pastry is golden and baked.

4. Serve hot with custard, ice cream or crème fraiche.

NOTE

Recipe developed by Cathryn Dresser, Great British Bake Off 2012 quarter finalist, as part of the ‘Make the move to maple carob syrup’ campaign by Clarks Maple Syrup.

BY CAT DRESSER

Adapted from Swapping Sugar for Clarks Original Maple Carob Syrup