My husband has an absolute fondness for apple pie. Simply put . . . he ADORES apple pie. It is his favourite pie, dessert, indulgence, dream come true! In truth, I don't bake one very often. It is an awful lot and doesn't get eaten. I know I could freeze it, but my freezer is always full. (NOT a complaint!) A whole pie is simply much more than the two of us can feasibly eat within a couple of days, and so normally I only bake one when we are having company.
Aimee Twigger has a recipe for an apple pie for one in her latest cookbook, Aimee's Perfect Cakes. It started me to thinking. So this pie here today is a riff on that one. I stole her concept and made it my own.
I used the same basic pastry but added a pinch of salt. Just a smidgen. I also explained how to put it together a bit better. (Sorry Aimee. It is my years of experience talking, no offense intended)
And I added some things to the filling . . . mainly some cranberries because they go so well this time of year and apple pie spice because to me an apple pie is not an apple pie without some spice. (You can get my recipe for that in the right hand column of this page, near to the bottom.) I also dotted the filling with a bit of butter before I added the topping, because well . . . it adds a lovely richness and once again, an apple pie is not an apple pie for me without a bit of butter.
It went down a real treat. Todd was so happy when I gave it to him. It smelled amazing when it was baking and I am happy to say he gobbled the whole thing down in contentment. Now who's a lucky boy then?
*Apple and Cranberry Pie for One*
Serves one
1 tsp water
To serve:
pouring cream or custard Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Have ready a large wide brimmed mug, large enough to hold your filling. Mine is about 4 inches in circumference.
Sift the flour into a bowl with the salt. Drop in the cold butter. Rub the butter in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add the water and toss together with a fork. Bring the mixture together into a ball, kneading lightly. Remove about 1/3 of the ball and roll it into a long rope, long enough to measure around the circumference of your mug. Brush the edge of the mug with some milk and then press the rope around the edge to adhere. This is what your top pastry will stick to.
Toss the chopped apple and cranberries together with the sugar, spice and salt. Put into the mug. Dot with butter.
Place the round on top of the filling in the mug and press along the pastry edge to adhere. Flute gently if desired. Cut a few steam vents. Brush with some milk and sprinkle with some demerara sugar. If you have any pastry leftover you can cut into shapes and put on top. I cut some leaves and a small apple. I added a dried clove for an apple stem.
I do confess I love spoiling Todd with something like this every once in a while. It makes me happy to see him happy. I guess that's what love is all about! Bon Appetit!
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