Easy Filo Apple Crumble Pies

Easy mini apple pies in crispy filo pastry using jarred apple sauce with a touch of cinnamon.

You are going to love these quick and easy apple pies, but before I get to them I have a confession.

I have a foodie crush on Nadiya Hussain.

Seriously! It's true.

Nadiya Hussain

I first followed Nadiya on the 2015 series of the Great British Bake Off, which she went on to win.

Everyone fell slightly in love with this amazing baker who was fun, but didn't seem to have the confidence in herself everyone else had in her.

Nadiya has gone on to write quite a few cookbooks, including Nadiya's Family Favourites, Nadiya's British Food Adventure and Nadiya's Kitchen.

She has also hosted a few foodie programmes, all of which I've loved. She has the same quality that Delia always had in her programmes. 

She comes across as a friend who is inviting you into their kitchen to share some of her recipes and tips. 

Nadiya's Time to Eat

Nadiya's latest TV series is called Time to Eat and hands up, I admit, I've watched each episode twice.

In this series Nadiya once again invites us into her kitchen, but this time she is sharing stress-free family recipes that are a breeze to pull together.

Such a comforting watch. Do check it out on BBC iPlayer.

Apple Palm Pies

One of the recipes Nadiya shared on the TV show was easy apple palm pies.

I knew right away I wanted to try them. 

Nadiya included nuts and raisins in her mixture, but I decided to keep mine simple with a crushed biscuit (cookie) base, apple and a sprinkle of cinnamon. 

I knew my boy wouldn't eat them if they had nuts in them and he's gone off raisins, except in porridge. I know, there's no sense in it.

We loved them so much, including my boy, so I just had to share the recipe with you and urge you to check out the programme while it's still available and also the book which accompanies the TV show. I will be getting hold of that one myself.

Of course it's not all veggie or vegan, but there are some great ideas in there that can be tweaked.

Oh and by the way, I'm not working with anyone on this, I just wanted to share some foodie joy with you.

Also try my Caramel Banana Filo Hand Pies

Easy Filo Apple Pies

The Pastry

For this recipe the only pastry that will work is filo pastry. It's super crispy and easy to wrap around the filling using a muffin tray.

Filo Pastry

Filo or phyllo pastry comes from Greek meaning leaf or sheet. It's an unleavened (no raising agent such as yeast) pastry that comes in a long bundle, when unrolled consists of lots of thin layers of pastry. 

Don't think about making it. It's one of those pastries best left to the professionals. In Turkey, it is one of those skills passed down from mother to child and a lifetime is spent perfecting the pastry skills, concentrating on just this recipe.

Shop bought filo is generally suitable for vegans, but some aren't so do check the back of the pack.

The Filling

For the filling I veered away from Nadiya's recipe (from the TV show), but used Nadiya's tips, such as spraying the muffin tray and pastry with a sunflower spray rather than brushing on melted butter or dairy-free spread.

I whizzed up some digestive biscuits (I used Molly's digestives from Tesco which are suitable for vegans) and added some to each pie. US readers would use Graham Crackers, although I'm not sure if these are vegan. Maybe one of my readers can let me know?

Next I added cooked apple. I used Nadiya's tip once more and bought a jar of Bramley apple sauce. Oh my goodness it''s heavenly stuff

I finished with a sprinkle of cinnamon. 

Let me show you how easy they are to make.

Making mini apple pies

1. Make the crumble

Whizz up a few digestive biscuits (or Graham crackers) in a food processor until they are crumbs. Tesco make a good vegan-friendly brand called Mollys. 

2. Prepare the pastry

Next prepare the filo (phyllo) pastry. Unroll the pastry and cut into four lengths with scissors (no need to be too fussy, I know my cutting is squint, but breath, it's ok).

Next cut it the strips into squares. You should end up with 12 squares.

Pile the pastry up ready to use.

3. Make the pastry cases

Spray a muffin tray with sunflower oil.

Place three layers of filo on each muffin hole. Place the first layer, give a light spray, then place the next layer at a slightly different angle and lightly spray and the same for the last square.

Gently press the pastry into the muffin tray hole into the edges.

4. Add the crumble

Continue to make pastry cases. You should be able to fill two muffin trays. If you don't have two, just make the first batch, then while the first batch of pies are cooling on a baking rack, make a second batch.

Add a spoonful of biscuit crumble to the bottom of each pie.

5. Add the apple filling

Spoon some apple filling into each pie case. One jar should be enough for two trays of apple pies, but I recommend having a second, just in case you are over-generous when filling the pies and run out.

I would recommend leftover apple sauce for breakfast. A dollop on your porridge or a bowl of yoghurt is just the thing.

You could also dollop some on rice pudding or ice cream for dessert.

Heck just eat it out the jar with a spoon, it's gorgeous stuff.

6. Make a lid for the pies

Sprinkle a little cinnamon over the apple then add a lid to the pie.

Place one square of filo into each pie and gently press down and give a light spray of oil. 

7. Finish the pies

Fold the edges of the pastry in, press down and give a final spray. 

Do this for all the pies then sprinkle them with brown sugar and bake in a pre-heated oven for 12-15 minutes.

Leave them to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then move to a cooling rack. Once they are cool, dust with icing (confectioners) sugar.

Enjoy!

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Easy Filo Apple Crumble Pies

 Easy Filo Apple Crumble Pies

Yield: 24 apple pies

Author: Jacqueline Meldrum

prep time: 15 Mcook time: 15 Mtotal time: 30 M

Easy mini apple pies in crispy filo pastry using jarred apple sauce with a touch of cinnamon.

ingredients:

• 250g ready rolled filo (phyllo pastry)
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil (spray)
• 6 - 8  digestive biscuits (or Graham Crackers)
• 470g jar chunky apple sauce
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 3 tbsp demerara sugar

instructions:

How to cook Easy Filo Apple Crumble Pies

1. Preheat the oven to 200c/180c fan/400f/gas mark 6.
2. Take the pastry out of the fridge, remove from the packet and leave on a plate to come to room temperature.
3. Whizz up the biscuits into crumbs in a food processor.
4. Spray 2 x 12 hole muffin tins with sunflower oil.
5. Unroll the pastry and cut the layers into 12 squares with scissors. Pile up ready to use.
6. Place a square over one of the muffin holes, spray lightly with oil, add another at a slight angle, spray again and do the same with the last square.
7. Press the pastry gently into the hole to make a pie case.  Fill both trays this way. If you only have one tray, cook one batch at a time.
8. Add a generous teaspoon of biscuit crumbs into each pie case.
9. Add 2 generous teaspoons of apple sauce to each pie, then add a sprinkle of cinnamon.
10. Add a square of pastry for the lid, press in gently,  spray with oil, then fold in the edges of the pastry over the lid and press down.
11. Give each pastry one final spray of oil, then add a sprinkle of demerara or brown sugar and bake them for 12 to 15 minutes until golden and crisp.
12. Leave to cool in the tray for 5-10 minutes, then move to a baking rack to continue cooling.
13. Enjoy!

NOTES:

Vegan pies - for vegan pies, check the filo package to make sure it is suitable and look for a vegan biscuit for the crumble. Tesco sell a vegan digestive by Mollys, but a vegan ginger biscuit would also be good.

Apple sauce - you want a chunky apple sauce.. Buy an extra jar just in case you are over-generous when filling the pies. Any leftover apple sauce can be served over porridge, yoghurt, rice pudding or ice cream.

Brown sugar - I used demerara sugar, but any brown sugar would do.

Only have one 12 hole muffin tray? Just make the pies in two batches.

Spray oil- don't use olive oil, as it has too strong a flavour for these pies, look for a sunflower or vegetable spray. Most supermarkets sell these.

These pies can be frozen, but it's doubtful they will last that long.

Calories
56.31

Fat (grams)
2.74

Sat. Fat (grams)
0.65

Carbs (grams)
8.03

Fiber (grams)
0.44

Net carbs
7.59

Sugar (grams)
6.13

Protein (grams)
0.27

Sodium (milligrams)
11.86

Cholesterol (grams)
0.43

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Dessert

British, vegan

Created using The Recipes Generator

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