Lauwarmer Apfelkuchen (American Pie)

Method

1. Rub the cold butter into the flour, sugar and salt until pea-sized pieces of butter remain visible; do not overwork it to fine crumbs. Add the ice water a tablespoon at a time, mixing just until the dough comes together. Divide into two portions, one slightly larger, shape into discs, wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
2. Toss the apple wedges with the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt and lemon juice and let sit for 15 minutes; the sugar will draw out some juice, which the cornstarch will thicken as it bakes.
3. Roll the larger disc out and line a 24 cm pie dish, leaving a small overhang.
4. Fill with the apple mixture, mounding it slightly in the centre, and dot with the small pieces of butter.
5. Roll out the second disc and lay it over the top, either whole with a few vents cut in, or woven into a lattice. Trim and crimp the edges to seal.
6. Brush with the beaten egg and scatter with the coarse sugar, if using.
7. Bake at 200°C for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven to 180°C and bake a further 30 to 35 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and juice is visibly bubbling through the vents. Tent loosely with foil if the edges brown too fast.
8. Rest at least 1 hour before slicing, so the filling sets enough to hold a clean cut. Serve warm, not hot, with vanilla ice cream.

Notes

• Keep the butter cold and visible in the dough. Small, unblended pieces of butter are what create the flaky layers as the pie bakes; a dough rubbed to fine, even crumbs bakes tender but not flaky.
• The cornstarch is what keeps the filling from running. A pie sliced too soon, before the filling has had time to set, will spill juice everywhere no matter how much starch was used.
• Do not skip the resting time. A pie that looks perfectly baked still needs an hour to firm up enough for a clean slice; cutting into it hot gives a puddle rather than a wedge.
• It keeps for 3 days at room temperature, loosely covered, and reheats well in a moderate oven; the crust softens in a microwave.

Ingredient substitutions

• A mix of tart and sweet apple varieties gives more depth than a single kind; a firm baking apple that holds its shape is important either way.
• For a lattice top, cut the second disc into strips instead of leaving it whole, and weave as for a Linzer Torte.
• A pinch of ground nutmeg alongside the cinnamon is a common American variation.
• Vanilla ice cream is the traditional pairing; lightly sweetened whipped cream works well too.