Lunchbox Legends: Mini Apple Pies with cheaty pastry!

Last weekend we headed off on our monthly farmgate trail with friends Mr and Mrs Not Quite Nigella - we showed them around our regular haunts and then after lunch headed up to Bilpin to go apple picking.  It was great fun, and something I would definitely recommend as a family outing!  We came home with 10 kilos of Apples - Bramleys, Granny Smiths and Red Galas - we learned how to pick a good one and saw many more varieties of apples, peaches, pears, limes and figs. 

Stay tuned to Not Quite Nigella for a full report of the day!

Our haul of Apples (foreground Bramley and Granny Apple, Background Red Gala)

Hubby and frills picking apples (in apple patterned raincoats no less!)

So coming home with 10kg of apples, we've set ourself a task!  They are delicious just to eat on their own but as the Bramley apple is a cooking apple, it puffs up and becomes quite soft, I thought I would make some mini apple pies for the lunch box or an ad-hoc dessert or snack.  These freeze also!
 
I also tried out a new pastry recipe which was a total success and was easy to make (and remember)!  I will make again!
 

Cheaty Pastry:
Ingredients
1 cup (250gr) butter
1 cup water
1 cup self raising flour
1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup caster sugar

Method
Mix flours together

In a saucepan place the butter, water and sugar, and place on stove and heat until butter is melted.

Slowly while beating, add the liquids to the flours, this will make it swell and fluff up a bit, you may need to add a few tb of flour to get it to the right consistency which would be a soft pliable dough.

Place dough in a ziplock bag or container and refrigerate until chilled (about 1 hour)

Roll out onto floured surface.

Apple Filling:
Ingredients
6 granny smith or bramley apples (I used 3 large bramleys and 1 granny smith)
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tb caster sugar
2 tb brown sugar

Method:
Peel and dice roughly apples Place in mixing bowl with cinnamon and sugars and mix through until all apple is evenly covered.


To make Pies:
Grease 2 x muffin tins with canola spray or butter

Preheat oven to 200 degrees c

With either an appropriate size cutter or by rolling a small ball of dough (I did a ping pong sized ball of the bottom) press into the bottom of the muffin tin and then press it around to the sides to ensure all the sides are covered by pastry to the lip. (I used child labour for this, don't tell the authorities!)

Then spoon in the apple filling (again child labour!) and make it fill the cup entirely and about 2cm over the top.

Lastly, cut some more dough for the top (those using balls I used walnut sized ball to roll out) and then with a knife, go around the inside of the mould and pinch together the edges of base and the top to join together.  Poke one or two slits in the top to vent the pies (i.e. let steam out so your pies don't go soggy) and then place in the oven for about 15-20 minutes until golden on top.

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