Apple, marzipan & elderflower pie
Serves: 8
Ingredients
- For the pastry:
- 350g plain flour
- 225g cold butter, cut into small chunks
- 4 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- egg wash + caster sugar to glaze
- For the filling:
- 7 apples
- 250ml elderflower cordial
- 100ml water
- finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 25g ground almonds
- 115g marzipan, cut into small chunks
Method
- To make the pastry, sieve the flour into a mixing bowl, add the butter and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the caster sugar, add the egg yolk and mix with a table knife to form a ball. Wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge for 45 mins.
- For the filling, quarter and core the apples. Peel if you prefer. Cut each quarter into slices about 3mm thick at the thickest part. Place in a saucepan, add the elderflower cordial and water, cover and simmer very gently for a few mins until the apples are just beginning to soften. Remove the apple slices to a bowl, place the liquid back over a high heat and reduce by about a third (to aporox 75ml). Stir in the zest, pour over the apples and leave to cool.
- Preheat oven to 190C/Gas 5. Roll out two-thirds of the pastry and use it to line a 25cm pie dish. Sprinkle the ground almonds evenly over the pastry base, then spoon the apples and elderflower syrup over, scattering chunks of marzipan as you go.
- Roll out the rest of the pastry and cut into strips to make a lattice top. Moisten each end of the pastry strips, lay across the top and press down at the edges to seal. Brush with a 50/50 mix of beaten egg and milk and sprinkle over some caster sugar.
- Place in the oven and cook for 30 mins or until golden. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
