Apple and blackberry pie

There's so much to love about this apple and blackberry pie.

The pastry is flaky, sweet and melt in the mouth, the apples are perfectly cooked, juicy, soft but holding their shape, and the blackberries add a splash of colour and a wonderful tang.

Honestly, try it, you won't be disappointed!

Here's what to do...

Ingredients

Equipment

Instructions

Make the pastry

Preheat the oven to 190C (170C fan-assisted, 375F). Place a flat baking sheet on the middle shelf. This will help ensure the bottom of your pastry is well cooked later.

Put the flour, icing sugar and butter into a bowl.

Rub together with the flour and icing sugar until you have a crumb.

Add the cold water.

Mix through with a round knife until it comes together.

Knead the pastry a couple of times so it comes together in a smooth ball, cut in two and put in the fridge to chill for 15 minutes.

Make the filling

Meanwhile, squeeze the lemon juice into a large bowl.

Peel and core the apples and cut into 1/2 cm slices, tossing them in the lemon juice as you go.

Add the sugar and cinnamon to the apples.

Mix well with your hands, then set aside.

Put it all together

On a floured board, roll out one half of the pastry and use it to line a 20cm loose-bottomed pastry tin, leaving some pastry overhanging.

Drain the apples and pat dry with kitchen paper. This is important as the fruit will release more liquid as it cooks and you don't want soggy pastry.

Layer up the apples in the pastry case.

Sprinkle the washed blackberries on top.

Brush a little egg white around the edges of the pastry, then roll out the remaining pastry and lay on top.

Press all the way around the rim of the pie with your fingers to seal the two layers of pastry together. Next, press a fork around the edges for a thorough seal.

Trim off the excess pastry with a sharp knife.

Brush the whole top with egg white.

If you like, you can cut out a few leaves or other decorations from the spare pastry and stick on top. Don't forget to brush egg white underneath and on top of your decorations.

Sprinkle the whole pie top with the demerara sugar.

Place on the hot baking tray and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until golden.

Allow to cool for 15 minutes, then release from the tin and serve warm or cold.

It's amazing on its own, or with cream or ice cream.

What did you think of this apple and blackberry pie?

Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect apple and blackberry pie

Is apple and blackberry pie easy to make?

There’s not much that beats a homemade pie for dessert. This recipe is easy to follow and takes you through each element step by step so you can create beautifully flaky pastry surrounding the classic apple and blackberry filling. Serve with cream, ice cream, or custard, and wait for the empty plates! 

Will I need any special equipment to make apple and blackberry pie?

You should be able to find everything you need in the average kitchen. A few large mixing bowls, weighing scales, and measuring spoons. A chopping board and knife to prepare the apples, and of course a loose button pie tin to bake your pie in. The full list of equipment can be found on the recipe card below. 

How can I tell if butter has gone off?

When stored correctly butter usually has quite a long use-by date. Gone off butter will smell and taste rancid and rather unpleasant, it's unlikely but it may also go mouldy, these are all sure signs it needs to be discarded. Make sure to check the butter before adding it to the pastry.

It's best to keep butter in the wrapper it comes in as this helps protect it from oxidation and exposure to light, both things that will speed up the spoiling process. Butter doesn’t always need to be kept in the fridge, but it will keep for much longer if it is, and should be kept in the fridge if your kitchen is particularly warm. It also has a tendency to absorb other flavours so keep it in a container in the fridge to stop this from happening. 

Is apple and blackberry pie suitable for vegetarians?

Yes, this flavoursome fruity pie is suitable for vegetarians as it contains no meat or fish products. 

Is apple and blackberry pie suitable for vegans?

If the recipe is followed as it is, this would not be suitable for vegans as it contains dairy butter and a chicken egg is used to glaze the pie. 

I haven’t tested this recipe using vegan alternatives but you could give it a go, let me know how you get on in the comments below.

To replace the butter in the pastry, you could use a vegan butter alternative or a vegetable fat baking block. Or to speed things up, a lot of ready-rolled pastry is vegan now so you could just use a pack of that.

And to glaze the pie instead of egg white you can use alternative milk, or some melted vegan butter, don’t forget to add the sprinkle of demerara sugar to help get a bit more colour on top of the pie as it bakes. 

Is apple and blackberry pie gluten-free?

In this recipe I have used wheat-based plain flour to make the pastry so it would not be suitable for someone who needs to avoid gluten in their diet. I haven’t tried this pastry recipe with gluten-free flour yet, but you could give it a go.

I would recommend using a good quality brand that will usually be made with a combination of different flours like rice flour, and oat flour and often contain a binding agent like xanthan gum. 

Is apple and blackberry pie safe to eat while pregnant?

There is nothing in this recipe that would usually pose a risk to a pregnant woman, as long as all the ingredients are in good condition, and the pie is prepared and cooked hygienically. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please speak to a health professional, A Mummy Too does not offer medical advice. 

What goes well with apple and blackberry pie?

Apple and blackberry pie goes perfectly with something creamy, whether that's simply some cold pouring cream, vanilla ice cream, or fresh custard. If you’ve made a vegan version of this pie, why not give my vegan custard a go to serve with it. 

Can I make this recipe without egg white?

The egg white is being used as a bit of a glue to help stick the lid and the base of the pastry together. And also over the top of the pie to create a beautiful slightly shiny glazed top with the demerara sugar.

If you need to avoid eggs you can of course leave it out. I would recommend sticking the pastry top, and any decorations by simply using milk or water. Avoid using oil or butter for this step as this will have the opposite effect, melting and making the pastry slippy.

To glaze the top of the pie milk is a good alternative or melted butter works well too, don’t forget the dusting of sugar to bring out the golden glow of the pie crust. 

I haven’t got Granny Smith apples, can I use a different kind?

I love cooking with Granny Smith apples because they have that tartness that helps cut through any sweetness added to the pie, making it more balanced. They also hold their shape better than most other eating apples, giving you some texture and bite to the filling, rather than apples that break down when cooked, creating more of an apple sauce.

This pie will of course work with other apples but I could recommend using Granny Smiths if you can, another good alternative would be Bramley apples as they hold their shape and have a similar tartness. 

How should I store apple and blackberry pie?

If you have any leftover pie, let it cool and transfer it into a sealed container so you can store it in the fridge, or freezer if you want to keep it for longer. If you don't have a container big enough you can cover it on a plate to protect it in the fridge.

How long does apple and blackberry pie keep?

Apple and blackberry pie will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. And if you’ve frozen it on the day of making it will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. 

Can I leave apple and blackberry pie out on the counter?

No, other than for serving and cooling this pie should not be left out on the side. Once cooled, store the pie in the fridge. If this pie is left out for more than 2 hours there is an increased risk of bacteria and foodborne illness spread on the pie, making it no longer safe to eat.

Can I make apple and blackberry pie ahead?

Yes, you have a few different options if you want to make this pie ahead, depending on whether you’d like to serve the pie hot or cold. 

To serve hot, then I would recommend preparing the apple filling, and pastry and storing them both in the fridge for a few hours until you’re ready to finish off the pie and bake it.

You could also make up the pie and not bake it immediately, it will be ok in the fridge for half an hour or so before baking if you need to time things for dinner. But I wouldn’t recommend leaving it much longer than this unbaked as the pastry will turn out soggy.

To serve cold, you can simply make the pie in the morning, or even the day before, cool and get it into the fridge, allow the pie to come up to room temperature before serving for the best flavour. 

Can I keep apple and blackberry pie in the refrigerator?

Yes, it's important that any leftovers are cooled and kept in the fridge to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. 

Can I freeze apple and blackberry pie?

Pastry can be a bit delicate when frozen, but this pie should freeze ok as long as the pastry was well cooked to start with.

Have a think about how you want to use up the pie when it's defrosted. You might want to cut the pie into slices to freeze separately so you can just get out what you need to, or keep it in a larger piece if you know you’ll use it all up when it's thawed.

Don’t forget to label the container with the date and what's inside so you know when it needs to be eaten up by. Defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating, once thawed consume within 24 hours. 

What is the best way to reheat apple and blackberry pie?

I find the best way to reheat pie is in the oven. You can use the microwave for speed but the pastry is likely to go soggy.

Preheat the oven to 180C/356F (160C fan). Put the pie into a suitable oven dish, back in the pie tin might be best, cover with tin foil and heat in the oven for 15 minutes, remove the foil and return to the oven for a final 5 minutes to crisp up the pastry.

Make sure the pie is piping hot inside before serving. Keep in mind you should only reheat food once so if you have lots of pie leftover just reheat the amount you need, saving the rest for another day. 

Can I make apple and blackberry pie in a different quantity?

If you want to you can make more or less of this pie no problem. Remember you’ll need a different size pie tin, or perhaps 2 dishes.

Head down to the recipe card below and you’ll find the number of servings is set to 8, using a 20cm pie tin. When you click or hover over the number a little slide bar will pop up that you can move up or down to get the number of servings you want to make. All the ingredients will update automatically for you. 

Can I make apple and blackberry pie in individual portions?

I like a big family apple pie that can be served in slices, but if you prefer you can of course make mini pies instead. I haven’t used this recipe to make individual pies so it might not be enough pastry depending on what size you want to make your individual pies.

A simple way of making individual pies could be to use a muffin tray, grease the tray well. Cut circles of pastry for the bases, and smaller ones for the tops. Layer up the apple into the pastry base, you may need to make the apple pieces smaller, finish off with a blackberry or two.

Sealing the pies in a tray like this is a little more fiddly but do your best to egg wash around the edge of the pastry base before popping the lids on and pressing around the edge with your finger to seal.

As these pies are smaller they will bake quicker than a single large pie so check on them after about 20 minutes to see how they are doing.  

Can I make apple and blackberry pie in a different tin/tray?

If you don’t have a loose-based pie tin you can use a solid one, I prefer to use a loose-based tin as it’s easier to get the pie out and serve.

Can I make apple and blackberry pie with a food processor?

If you want to speed things along when making the pastry you can use a food processor instead of rubbing the butter and flour together by hand.

Put the flour, cubed butter, and icing sugar into the food processor and pulse until you have a rough crumb. Add the water and mix again until the dough has just come together and then turn out to knead slightly to form a smooth dough. 

How can I make sure my apple and blackberry pie is perfectly cooked?

You’ll know the pie is ready when it’s beautifully golden on top and the pastry looks crisp and well cooked. This should take about 40-45 minutes, you can keep an eye on the pie through the glass in the oven door.

The filling in the pie will be very hot when you first take it out of the oven. I like to let it cool for 10 minutes before taking it out of the tin. You can serve this pie either warm or allow it to cool completely and serve cold, enjoy! 

Why did my pie turn out dry and burnt?

When the recipe steps are all followed, and assuming the correct amounts of ingredients are weighed out for this pie it will only really turn out dry or burnt if the oven is too hot, or its been left in too long.

If you’ve been using the oven to cook a roast or something that uses a higher temperature this might be why the pie has burnt. Next time, try using an oven thermometer so you can check the actual temperature in the oven, sometimes the temperature dial and signal light aren’t 100% accurate, and the oven will continue to get hotter the longer it is on.

I like to set a timer for about 5 minutes less than the cooking time, so 35-40 minutes for this recipe so you can check on it when it's almost done and see how much longer it needs. You can also check on the pie through the oven door to see how it's doing.

Why did my pie turn out wet and pale?

This could be for a number of reasons. A wet pie, with a soggy bottom, may happen if the apples are particularly wet, that's why it's a good idea to pat the apple pieces dry before putting them in the pie.

Make sure to preheat the oven, so the pie is going in at the right temperature. If the completed pie sits out on the side waiting to go in the oven it will increase the chances of wet pastry, especially if your kitchen is quite warm. If the pie is finished before the oven has come up to temperature you can pop it in the fridge until it's ready.

I like to heat a baking sheet in the oven ready to put the pie on so it goes onto a solid hot surface rather than straight on the oven shelf. This extra heat helps cook the bottom of the pastry before it has a chance to get soggy. 

The pale top is usually a sign the pie hasn’t had long enough to cook, put it back in the oven until its lovely and golden on top.

The pie will also be pale if you’ve made a vegan version of this pie, as the butter in the pastry gives it that golden colour, as well as the egg wash on the top. A good sprinkle of demerara sugar can help to give it a bit more colour, and make sure to use an alternative egg wash like plant milk or melted vegan butter. 

Why did my pie taste bland?

As long as the recipe is followed, and all the ingredients are used in the correct amounts this pie shouldn’t taste bland.

There is such a beautiful balance between the buttery flaky pastry, and the tart and sweet apple and blackberry filling. Try serving your pie with some custard or cream to compliment the flavours.

How can I add/change the flavours in this apple and blackberry pie?

As you’re using lemon juice for the filling, you could zest it first and add this to the pastry mix, adding an extra zing to the pastry.

With the filling, you could use just apple, or use a mixture of different fruits like pear and fig. Other berries could be added too like blueberries or cranberries instead of blackberries. Be mindful not to add too many juicy berries, and pat all the fruits dry before adding them to the pie as the extra moisture might make the pastry base go soggy.

Instead of cinnamon, you could try some ground cardamom or some nutmeg. 

What is the origin of apple and blackberry pie?

Apple and blackberry pie is a variation of plain apple pie, with the earliest recorded recipe dating from England in 1381, and it seems to have remained popular ever since! With different styles popular across Europe and North America. Other fruits like pears, figs, or raisins are sometimes added, and a British classic is blackberries, particularly in early autumn when both blackberries and apples are in season.

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5 from 3 votes

Apple and blackberry pie

There's so much to love about this apple and blackberry pie. The pastry is flaky, sweet and melt in the mouth, the apples are perfectly cooked, juicy, soft but holding their shape, and the blackberries add a splash of colour and a wonderful tang.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: Desserts and sweet treats

Cuisine: British

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: apple and blackberry pie, apple pie, blackberry and apple pie

Servings: 8 slices

Calories: 463kcal

Author: Emily Leary

Ingredients

For the pastry

• 400 g (14.1 oz) plain flour
• 200 g (7.1 oz) slightly salted butter cold cubed
• 30 g (1.1 oz) icing sugar
• 80 ml (2.7 floz) cold water

For the filling

• 5 Granny Smith eating apples
• 1 lemon juice
• 40 g (1.4 oz) caster sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 handful blackberries

For the glaze

• 1 medium free range egg white
• 1 tsp demerara sugar

Equipment

• Weighing scales
• Measuring spoons
• Large mixing bowl
• Round knife
• Kitchen knife
• Chopping board
• Apple corer
• Wooden spoon
• Citrus juicer
• Rolling pin
• Kitchen paper
• Pastry brush
• Fork
• 20cm loose-bottomed pie tin
• Non-stick baking sheet

Instructions

Make the pastry

• Preheat the oven to 190C (170C fan assisted, 375F). Place a flat baking sheet on the middle shelf.
• Rub the butter together with the flour and icing sugar by hand in a bowl or pulse in the food processor until fully combined.
• Add the cold water and either pulse in the food processor, or mix through with a round knife until it comes together.
• Knead the pastry a couple of times so it comes together in a smooth ball, cut in two and put in the fridge to chill for 15 minutes.

Make the filling

• Meanwhile, peel and core the apples and cut into 1/2 cm slices, putting them into a large bowl with the lemon juice as you go.
• Add the sugar and cinnamon to the apples and mix well with your hands, then set aside.

Put it all together

• On a floured board, roll out one half of the pastry and use it to line the pastry tin, leaving some pastry overhanging.
• Drain the apples and pat dry with kitchen towel.
• Layer up the apples in the pastry case and then sprinkle the washed blackberries on top.
• Brush a little egg white around the edges of the pastry, then roll out the remaining pastry and lay on top.
• Press all the way round with a fork then trim off the excess pastry with a sharp knife.
• If you like, cut out a few leaves or other decorations using the spare pastry and stick on top using a little egg white.
• Brush the whole top with egg white and sprinkle with the sugar.
• Place the pie on the hot baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes and serve warm or allow to cool completely in the tin.

Video

Notes

Store any leftover pie in the refrigerator and eat within a couple of days.

Nutrition

Calories: 463kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 188mg | Potassium: 206mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 686IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 3mg

* Note: nutritional information is estimated, based on publicly available data. Nutrient values may vary from those published. Information on this website should not be taken as medical advice. Cuisines identify the primary region of inspiration for a dish.

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