I have just come to a conclusion, that the best cooking and baking I do is spontaneous. I was planning on cooking the breast of lamb, as Tom Kerridge showed in Food & Drink, was thinking about it for the whole week, how I’d do it, discussed with the butcher and stuff and then I made it and it was ok, not good enough to blog it, I decided. Today at midday I thought- I want an apple pie, now. I made it using the recipe from “The Art of Pastry” book, half a portion, for 2 people to pig it, not 6 and I love it.

For the sweet shortcrust pastry I used 175 g of plain flour, 90 g of butter, a pinch of salt, 2 tbsp of cold water to bind it and, after a moment of consideration sexed it up with a tbsp of ground almonds and some sugar. Chilled it for 30 mins, while I peeled and thinly sliced 2 large bramley apples, sweetened and spiced them with cinnamon and lots of my mom’s fried orange peel and dusted with some flour, as the recipe suggested. I also folded through the remaining apple puree I made for souffles last night, it oozed out and on the photo looks like caramel on the edge of the pie.

My small 15″ tin was great again, this pie will be finished this evening, no doubt, enjoyed fresh and nothing wasted. The amount of filling was perfect and I even cut out some leaves to make it look nice on the top. Finished with egg white and a sprinkle of brown sugar it baked in 200 degrees for 30 mins, then in 180 for another 15 mins.

Custard- simplicity and no recipe. 2 egg yolks whipped with a random amount of sugar and a good tsp of corn flour, while double cream and milk with a vanilla pod were heating up on the stove. I whisked it through the egg mixture and returned to the pan, till slightly thickened.

Love the pie, that orange rind is sensational.