Ingredients

• 750g granny smith apples, peeled, cored, halved and sliced
• 110g raw sugar, plus 2 tbs extra, to dust
• 1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped
• 2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 250ml (1 cup) apple juice
• 2 tablespoons vanilla custard powder
• 2 egg yolks
• Vanilla custard or ice-cream, to serve

Pastry

• 300g plain flour, sifted
• 60g icing sugar, sifted
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 125g unsalted butter, diced and chilled
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons white wine, such as chardonnay or pinot grigio

Method

• Step 1 For the pastry, place the flour, icing sugar and cinnamon in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and white wine and pulse to combine. Turn the mixture out onto a clean work surface and, using the palms of your hands, bring the dough together. Cover in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
• Step 2 Combine the apple, sugar, vanilla seeds and pod, lemon juice and apple juice in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring from time to time, for 20-25 minutes, until the apple has softened. Place a colander over a bowl and drain the apple mixture, reserving the juice. Set aside to cool completely. Discard the vanilla pod.

• Step 3 Grease 4 holes of a 125ml (1/2 cup) muffin pan and place a small disc of baking paper in the base of each muffin hole.
• Step 4 Reserve one-quarter of the pastry, then roll out the remainder between 2 sheets of baking paper to 3mm thick. Using a round 14cm cookie cutter, cut out 6 discs that are slightly larger than the muffin holes (to allow for the pastry to go up the side). Line each hole with a pastry round and press and trim to fit. Sift the custard powder over each pastry base (this makes the wonderful apple custard). Now, spoon the cooled apple filling on top and add a little of the reserved cooking juices to moisten the fruit.
• Step 5 Roll out the remaining pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper to 3mm thick. Cut out 6 discs of pastry large enough to cover the pies. Trim any overhanging pastry.
• Step 6 Lightly beat the egg yolks with 1 tbs water, brush over the pastry, then scatter on the extra raw sugar. Freeze the pies for 1-2 hours or, even better, overnight.
• Step 7 Preheat the oven to 180C.
• Step 8 Take the pies straight from the freezer to the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the filling is piping hot. Serve warm with thick vanilla custard or ice-cream.