Decadent apple and blueberry pie

One of my favourite things to do on weekends is bake something delicious with my family. Luckily, my daughter Bella loves helping out in the kitchen and keeping me company. And while the actual baking might take a bit longer with her helping to measure and mix, the quality time with her is priceless!

A short while ago, we attempted to make a delicious apple and blueberry pie – adapted from Bibby’s Kitchen at 36’s nectarine and Bourbon pie recipe and it was so worth the effort. The pie was rich, yet light and tasty and packed with warm fruit and all the sweet stuff to satisfy any cravings. It’s definitely a treat worth indulging in now and then. And home baked steals the show in my opinion!

TOP TIP: One of my best health tips is to cook and bake from scratch as much as possible. Yes, it takes a little more planning and prepping, but the result is always worth it. Plus, you can prepare food in larger batches and freeze ahead to save you time and money in the long run.

By preparing dishes yourself, you always know exactly what goes into the food you make for your family. The right kitchen tools, appliances and gadgets can make all the difference in terms of how quickly you can whizz around the kitchen.

For this recipe, I used my new, versatile Bosch Kitchen Machine called MUM 5 and it made the prep and time in the kitchen so much easier!

Next time you have guests over for tea or want to bake something utterly delicious for a special occasion, give this apple and blueberry pie a go...

ALSO SEE: Healthy superfood vegan blondies 

Apple and blueberry pie  

Ingredients

For the pastry

• 450g all-purpose cake flour
• 45ml icing sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 300g cold salted butter in cubes
• 45ml icing sugar
• 90g cold butter, cut into small dice
• 1 egg yolk
• 40-60ml ice cold water
• 15 ml lemon juice

For the filling

• 12 apples cut into 1cm slices
• 250ml blueberries
• 60ml cake flour
• 120g demerara sugar
• 80ml jam
• 30ml lemon juice
• Egg wash (1 whisked egg with 15ml water)
• Sugar for finishing

Method

1. For the pastry, sift the flour, icing sugar and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer such as the Bosch MUM 5
2. Add the butter and mix until it forms a breadcrumb texture
3. Add the egg yolk, lemon juice and water
4. Mix on a low speed until just the dough comes together
5. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and press together without overworking. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for one hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 200°C
7. For the filling, place the fruit in a large bowl, sprinkle the cake flour over and toss gently.
8. Add the sugar, jam, lemon juice and mix together.
9. Make sure the fruit is evenly coated.
10. Set aside while you prepare the pastry.
11. Portion off one third of the dough and wrap in clingfilm to keep from drying out.
12. Roll the remaining pastry into a circle, wide enough to line a 22-cm pie dish.
13. Trim most of the overhanging pastry, but leave enough for crimping later.
14. Add the trimmings to the reserved pastry. Fill the pie base with the fruit and resting juices.
15. On a floured surface, roll the remaining pastry into a rectangle. Cut into strips of 2cm and 1cm widths.
16. Plait the 1cm lengths and lay on top of the fruit, alternating with the 2cm lengths. Use the scraps to cut decorative shapes.
17. Brush the pastry top with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar
18. Bake on the lowest shelf for 10 minutes. Turn the oven down to 180°C and bake for a further 60 – 65 minutes.
19. Turn the oven off and leave the pie in for another 10 minutes. Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

For a quick run-down of how this all comes together, watch how Bella and I make this amazing pie step-by-step:

 ALSO SEE: My raw cacao chocolate mousse tart recipe