Bake

For the pie dough:

·       Put the flour, sugar, salt and butter into a bowl and rub with your hands until the mixture is crumbly.

·       Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time until the mix forms a dough.

·       Shape the dough into a ball. Cover it in food wrap or place into a storage container with a tight lid.

·       Place the dough into a fridge for at least one hour, or overnight.

·       Sprinkle flour on to your work surface.

·       Roll out the dough until it is 1/2cm thick.

·       Using a 10cm cookie cutter (or a cup), cut out as many circles as you can. Squash together the leftover dough, roll again and cut out extra circles until you have 12.

·       Place each circle of dough into a mini muffin or tart pan and press it down and up around the edges. Keep the leftover dough for the pie top decoration.

·       Make some pastry strips or decorations for the pie tops. (Alan likes the lattice strips or envelope shapes best).

·       Warm the oven to 220 degrees Celsius.

For the apple filling:

·      Put the chopped apples and sugar into a saucepan and add enough water so that it is 1cm above the mixture.

·      Simmer for 10 minutes until they soften and thicken.

·      In a large bowl, stir together the cooked apples, sugar, cinnamon and flour with a big spoon.

·      Use a small spoon to put the mixture into the muffin tins. Decorate each pie with a woven lattice or the shapes you have cut out.

·      Brush the tops of the pies with the egg wash then sprinkle them with sugar.

·      Bake the pies for 16 to 18 minutes until they are golden brown.

·      Remove the pies from the oven and let them cool in the muffin tin.

·      Using the end of a small spoon, wiggle each pie from the tin.

·      When cooled, sprinkle each pie with a little icing sugar.

·      Store in an airtight container or freeze in containers until ready to serve.

·      Perfect with a dollop of ice-cream, custard or yoghurt.

Enjoy your perfect pies!