Gascony Apple Pie

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes plus resting time

Serves 6–8

Ingredients

Pastry

1 packet filo pastry (about 375g)

Clarified butter

200g caster sugar [1]

300g water

150g caster sugar [2]

50g Armagnac

Apple Compote

750g Pink Lady apples

80g demerara/raw sugar

1 vanilla bean

1 cinnamon stick

80g water

60g Armagnac

To Serve

Cream or crème anglaise, to serve

Method

To assemble the pie base, brush sheets of filo pastry with clarified butter, sprinkle on [1] caster sugar and add another layer of pastry. Repeat this 3 times, leaving the top layer clean. Line your pie. Blind bake with baking paper and rice/beans.

Do the same pastry technique for the top pieces. Cut and arrange in freeform shapes whilst maintaining height. Ideally, leave to dry at room temperature overnight.

Make a coating syrup with the water and [2] caster sugar. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and add Armagnac. Pour into a spray bottle when cool. Scrape all seeds from vanilla bean. Peel, core and dice apples into 2cm chunks. 

Combine apples, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and water in a pot. Cook gently until apples begin to caramelise and turn tender. Add Armagnac and finish cooking. Careful not to cook to a puree. Pour onto a tray, cover and leave to cool.

Fill the pie shell with apple compote. Add dried top pastry and fill all gaps.

Begin baking at 160°C with the fan on low for 40 minutes. Begin spraying the pie with Armagnac syrup every few minutes.

Caramelise the whole pie completely. Leave to cool. Serve with cream or crème anglaise.