Apple pie recipe - Simple and tasty cake

Instructions

Preparation of the dough

1. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl, add a pinch of salt, then cut the cold butter into small cubes and add to the flour. Mix with a food processor paddle or rub the butter into the flour between your fingers until you have a crumbly consistency.

2. Beat the yolks into the mixture one by one to distribute them evenly in the mass. Knead the dough quickly and gently, trying to heat it as little as possible with your hands; working on the dough for too long can make it less crumbly. A smooth, uniform ball of dough should form.

3. Form a ball of dough and divide it into two parts, wrap in cling film and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Cooling the dough will cause the butter to harden again, which will guarantee a crispy and delicate bake. The dough will be slightly frozen, which will allow it to be grated.

Preparing the apple mass

1. The best apples for apple pie are: gray rennet, antonovka or golden delicious. They have the right structure and natural sourness, which perfectly balances the sweetness of the apple pie.

2. Peel the apples and remove the cores. Then cut them into thin slices or small cubes. Add the sliced apples to a large saucepan, so that they don't stick to the bottom, you can pour in a few tablespoons of water.

3. Add sugar and vanilla extract , adjusting the amount to suit the taste of the apples and your own preferences. If the apples are more sour, you can add about 3-4 tablespoons of sugar, and for sweeter varieties, reduce the amount. Also add 3 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, which will give the apples a warm, spicy aroma.

4. Place the saucepan over medium heat and heat the apples, stirring regularly so that they soften evenly and do not stick to the bottom. Stewing should take about 10-15 minutes, until the apples soften but retain a light structure and should not fall apart completely. Finally, add a handful of raisins. Set the stewed apples aside to cool completely before spreading on the shortcrust pastry.

5. Preheat the oven to 180°C (top and bottom heat).

6. Remove the dough from the freezer and use a grater with large holes to grate half of it directly onto the bottom of the cake tin. Spread the grated dough evenly to create a cohesive layer. Do not press it down; shortcrust pastry retains its structure best when it is loosely arranged.

7. Spread the prepared apple mixture over the cake layer. Spread it evenly over the entire surface, making sure it reaches the edges of the cake tin. Level the top so that the filling is uniformly thick. Grate the remaining half of the frozen dough over the apple mixture, creating an even layer.

8. Place the cake tin with the prepared apple pie in the preheated oven and bake for about 1 hour, until the top of the cake turns golden brown.

9. Once the apple pie has cooled completely, carefully remove it from the cake tin and transfer it to a serving plate. Make sure it is completely cool, as a warm cake can cause the icing sugar to dissolve quickly and not create a decorative layer. Prepare a sieve and pour the icing sugar into it, then shake it gently, sprinkling evenly over the top of the cake.