Mrs. Wagner Style Apple Pie (All-Butter Flaky Pastry)
Apple pie made with a sweet all-butter flaky pastry and spiced sliced apples, finished with egg wash and a sugar sprinkle.
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- •All-purpose flourfor pastry (amount inferred from stated 75% fat-to-flour ratio and ~600 g total pastry; exact not stated)
- •Sugarfor pastry (amount not stated; inferred typical sweet pastry)
- •Saltpinch; exact amount not stated (inferred)
- •Unsalted buttercold; frozen 30 minutes; grated (fat amount implied by 75% fat-to-flour ratio)
- •1 Egglarge; for pastry liquid
- •to 85 g total with egg Milktop up egg with milk to reach 85 g combined; whisked
- •5 Applese.g., Braeburn suggested; peeled, cored, thinly sliced
- •1 Lemonlarge; juiced to prevent browning
- •Nutmegfreshly grated; amount not stated (inferred)
- •1/2 tsp Cinnamonfor apples
- •Lard(optional)for greasing pie tin; amount not stated (inferred)
- •Flour(optional)for dusting bench/rolling; as needed
- •1 Eggsmall; for egg wash
- •Milkdash for egg wash (amount not stated; inferred)
- •Demerara sugarcoarse sugar to sprinkle on top; amount not stated (inferred)
- 1
Make the pastry: Add flour to a bowl, then add sugar and salt and mix by hand.
3 min
- 2
Grate very cold butter (frozen about 30 minutes) into the flour mixture, dipping butter into flour as you grate to prevent clumping; mix quickly.
5 min
- 3
Make the liquid: Crack a large egg into a container on scales and top up with milk until the combined weight reaches 85 g; whisk together.
2 min
- 4
Add egg-milk mixture to the bowl and cut together with a dinner knife until it clumps, then quickly bring together with hands. If it warms, chill briefly; do not add extra liquid.
5 min
- 5
Divide pastry into two pieces: about 350 g for the base and 250 g for the lid. Wrap and refrigerate at least 20 minutes.
3 min
- 6
Prepare apples: Juice a large lemon. Peel, core, and thinly slice apples one at a time, adding each to a bowl and coating with lemon juice to prevent browning.
10 min
- 7
Season apples with freshly grated nutmeg and 1/2 tsp cinnamon; mix to coat evenly and set aside.
3 min
- 8
Grease a pie tin with a little lard. Dust work surface and pastry with flour. Roll out the larger pastry piece to fit the tin, line the tin, press in gently, and dock (prick) the base with a fork.
7 min
- 9
Roll out the smaller pastry piece for the lid using the tin as a size guide; set aside. Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F / gas mark 3).
4 min
- 10
Fill pastry case with the sliced apples, mounding slightly in the center. Brush the rim with egg wash (small egg beaten with a dash of milk).
4 min
- 11
Lay the pastry lid over the pie, press to seal, crimp edges, and trim excess. Optionally cut decorative shapes from spare pastry and add to top.
7 min
- 12
Cut vents in the center. Brush the top (and decorations) with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
3 min
- 13
Bake at 170°C for 35–45 minutes, depending on desired apple tenderness, until golden.
40 min
- 14
Cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before slicing and serving warm (optional with cream, custard, or ice cream).
5 min
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