Step 1

Prepare a double batch of the Extra Flaky Vegan Pie Crust, divide it into two equal pieces (for the bottom crust and for the lattice top), and chill it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or until needed. You can also prepare it a day or two in advance.

Step 2

You will need a 9 inch (23cm) pie dish ready to have on hand. It should be about 2 inches (5cm) deep. I recommend using a metal pie dish.

Step 3

Slice the peeled and cored apples into 4-5mm slices.Tip: This is the optimal thickness that will give you pleasantly soft apples that still have a small amount of bite to them after the pie is fully baked. If you cut them much thinner, they will turn into mush during the relatively long baking time this pie requires.

Step 4

Transfer the apple slices into a large bowl, drizzle them with lemon juice and mix well.Tip: The lemon juice slows down the oxidation and browning.

Step 5

Add the sugar and spices, and mix well.

Step 6

Cover the bowl and allow the sliced apples to macerate at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or until they have slightly softened and have released a noticeably large amount of juices (you should get just over 1 cup or about 260mL of juices, but it will vary with the type of apples you're using).

Step 7

About 30 minutes before you start assembling the pie, transfer the apples into a sieve or colander placed over a bowl to drain the juices.

Step 8

Pour the apple juices into a saucepan and cook them over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, with occasional stirring, until syrupy. The juices will thicken further when cooled, so you don’t need to cook them all the way until they have the consistency of jam.

Step 9

Once reduced, add the vegan butter and cook them for a further 30 seconds. Then, remove from the heat and allow to cool until warm.

Step 10

To finish off the apple pie filling, add the cornstarch to the sliced apples and mix well until it's evenly distributed. Pour over the reduced apple juices. If they’ve thickened too much during cooling, re-heat them briefly until warm to loosen them up.Mix it all together. Note that the reduced juices will remain in clumps/streaks throughout the filling as they’re fairly thick – that’s perfectly OK.

Step 11

To make the bottom pie crust, roll out half of the vegan pie crust on a lightly floured surface into a rough circle about 3mm thin. The circle should be at least 2-3 inches larger than the pie dish.

Step 12

Transfer it into the pie dish and trim the excess pastry so that you have about 1 inch (2.5cm) of overhang.

Step 13

Transfer the apple pie filling into the bottom pie crust, making sure that the apple slices are tightly packed together.

Step 14

Make the lattice top: roll out the other half of the vegan pie crust on a lightly floured surface into an approximately 9x12 inch (23x30cm) rectangle about 3mm thin. Cut out 1 inch (2.5cm) strips, you should get a total of Tip: To get perfectly straight strips, I recommend using a long ruler as a guide and a pastry wheel or pizza cutter to cut them.

Step 15

Assemble the lattice by weaving the strips together. Trim the ends of the lattice strips, so that they reach past the edge of the filling by a few millimetres.

Step 16

Fold the overhanging pastry inwards, so that it covers the ends of the lattice strips. Press it gently together along the fold, so that the layers of dough adhere to each other.

Step 17

To crimp the edge, form a V-shape with the thumb and index finger of your non-dominant hand on the outside edge of the pie crust. Then, use either the thumb, the index finger or the knuckle of the index finger of your dominant hand to push the pastry into that V-shape. Move around the edge of the pie crust to create a fluted rim.

Step 18

Chill the finished pie in the fridge for 30-40 minutes or in the freezer for 15-20 minutes.Tip: Chilling the assembled pie helps to achieve maximum flakiness and also prevents the vegan butter in the pie crust from leaking out during baking.

Step 19

While the pie is chilling, pre-heat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC) with a large baking sheet or tray on the middle oven rack.Tip 1: Baking the pie on a pre-heated baking sheet starts the bottom of the pie baking straight away and helps to prevent a soggy bottom. It also has the extra benefit of the baking sheet catching any stray juices that might bubble up and out of the pie.Tip 2: If you struggle with soggy bottoms on your pies, you can bake your pie on the lower middle oven rack instead.

Step 20

Mix together the maple syrup and non-dairy milk. Lightly brush the chilled pie with this vegan "egg wash alternative" and sprinkle it with granulated sugar.

Step 21

Place the pie onto the pre-heated baking sheet and bake at 400ºF (200ºC) for about 1 hour 15 minutes.If the crimped edge of your pie starts browning too quickly, cut out a circle from a piece of aluminium foil and use the remaining foil to cover the edge (shiny side up). This prevents the edge from burning, while still allowing the central lattice to continue baking and browning.If the whole top of the pie is browning too quickly, cover it all with a sheet of aluminium foil (shiny side up) and continue baking until done. I like to bake the pie uncovered for the last 5 minutes of so, to ensure that the lattice top is perfectly crisp as it comes out of the oven.

Step 22

The pie is done when the apples have softened (check their texture with a toothpick or a thin, sharp knife), the juices are visibly bubbling through the vents in the lattice and the pie filling has reached an internal temperature of 195ºF (90ºC).

Step 23

Allow to cool for at least 4 hours before serving.

Step 24

The pie is best on the day of baking, but you can keep it for up to 2 days at room temperature, covered lightly with with a clean tea towel or a sheet of aluminium foil. Don't wrap it tightly in cling film or keep it in a closed container, as that will soften the crust too much.