Apple Pie in the Apple

This super cute dessert is made in the apple- making it an easy pie for working out the number of portions required.

Step 1: Ingredients

Seriously, this is a cute dessert... And not altogether difficult. This instructable has 3 servings made, but ingredients are broken down per serve.

You will need (per serve)
1 pretty apple
Puff pastry (I use off-cuts from other things)
1 'ugly' apple
Couple of blackberries and strawberries per serve
Lemon
Teaspoon brown sugar
1 allspice berry
1 clove
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Step 2: Hollow the Apples

Slice the top off the apple. Take a wee slice off the bottom of the apple also so that it sits flat.

Use a melon baller to hollow out the apple centre. I throw all the bits with pips in the compost, but the other pieces scooped out, place in a pot. I used the melon baller I got from a Tupperware party for bringing a friend... Though there are probably much easier ways of getting one. Failing this, a small spoon works well.

Try to leave about 1cm of apple 'wall' around the inside of the skin.

Step 3: The Innards of the Pie

The middle bit is a stewed fruit.

You can use your own stewed recipe, or canned fruit... I like to combine apples and berries for a sharp taste. That, and the red juice makes the apple pie super exciting to cut open on the plate.

Slice and core your 'ugly' apples. I use the ones that grow... My apple tree makes tasty but ugly fruit. I also have a really awesome thingy that does the hard work of peeling apples... But a peeler and knife works probably more effectively.

Wash the berries and throw all the sliced apples in the pot with the middle bits you scooped out of the apples (sans pips).

Add the juice of one lemon, the brown sugar, and spices to the pot. Simmer over a medium heat until the fruit is soft and gloriously coloured.

Step 4: Pastry Strips

While the fruit stews, slice the puff pastry into 1 1/2cm strips.

Step 5: Assembling the Pie

When the fruit is stewed, place each serving in a ramekin dish. (Because if you overcook the apples, they tend to explode... This means you have a wee lattice pastry on top of a stewed apple mess... So still kinda edible)

Spoon stewed fruit into each apple.

Lay and fold the lattice strips over the apple.

Press the edges down around the side of the pie.

You can use an egg-wash at this point. I opt not to, simply so I can pretend that I made it a healthier option....

As an optional step- glaze with an egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar...

Step 6: Cooking

Bake the apples in the oven at 180 degrees celcius... I like to put them in the toaster oven, as then there is a bit of the grill going on the pastry. It cooks the pastry faster.

The pies take about 10-15 minutes. Watch them. When the pastry is golden, take them out. Leave them in and the apple itself eventually collapses in on itself.

Serve with yogurt or cream or custard.... Or by itself. I love to take these in my lunchbox to show off to my workmates. They are glorious hot or cold.

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