Traditional Homemade Apple Pie Recipe - Vegan and Gluten Free Options

I LOVE APPLE PIE! And who doesn't to be fair, but I think it is such a lovely hearty dessert for Autumn and Winter, especially with the aroma of mixed spices and caramelised apples wafting through the house. This is a great pudding for any occasion or no occasion at all. This is a simple no fuss recipe but with the delicious great taste of a traditional apple pie.

For the filling

1kg Bramley / Cooking apples - peeled and chopped
140g golden caster sugar | Healthier Alternative - use 150g of Organic Coconut Sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp of ground cloves
2 tsp organic Honey | Vegan Option - use organic, pure maple syrup
3 tbsp flour | Gluten Free Option - use Gluten Free Flour

For the pastry

225g butter, room temperature | vegan option use a suitable butter alternative or Olive spread
50g golden caster sugar, plus extra | Healthier Option - use Organic Coconut Sugar
x2 eggs
350g plain flour, preferably organic | Gluten Free Option - use Gluten Free Flour
Whipping cream, to serve | Vegan option - use Vegan Double Cream (Elmlea have a really good Vegan Alternative)

Line your pie dish with baking parchment - trimming it with scissors as necessary
Quarter, core, peel and slice the apples into cubes and lay evenly on a baking sheet. Put paper towels on top and set aside while you make and chill the pastry.
For the pastry, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until just mixed. Break in a whole egg and a yolk (keep the white for glazing later). Beat together for just under 1 min – it will look a bit like scrambled egg. Now work in the flour with a wooden spoon, a third at a time, until it’s beginning to clump up, then finish gathering it together with your hands. Gently work the dough into a ball, wrap in cling film, and chill for 45 mins.
Now mix the 140g/5oz sugar, the spices, honey and flour for the filling in a bowl that is large enough to take the apples later.

After the pastry has chilled, Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan oven) Lightly beat the egg white with a fork.
Cut off a third of the pastry and keep it wrapped while you roll out the rest, and use this to line a pie tin – 20-22cm round and 4cm deep – leaving a slight overhang.

Roll the remaining third to a circle about 28cm in diameter, and using a small pastry cutter (shape of your choice) - hearts and cute cut out the shape directly in the middle of the pastry (this will allow the steam to escape).
Pat the apples dry with kitchen paper, and tip them into the bowl with the spice-sugar mix. Give a quick mix with your hands and immediately pile high into the pastry-lined tin.

Brush a little water around the pastry rim and lay the pastry lid over the apples pressing the edges together to seal. Trim the edge with a sharp knife brushing it all with the egg white and sprinkle with caster sugar (or coconut sugar)
Bake for 40-45 mins, until golden, then remove and let it sit for 5-10 mins. Sprinkle with more sugar and serve while still warm from the oven with softly whipped cream. Clotted cream is also delicious here.
Decorations are Optional, I used some little red berries because T'is the season and all that