Combine 250g plain flour and 65g icing sugar in a large bowl. Add 125g room-temperature butter pieces and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. This rubbing-in method is key to achieving that signature flaky texture in your Paul Hollywood apple pie.

Add cold water gradually, one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently until clumps begin forming. Use your hands to bring the dough together into a smooth ball-avoid overworking, which develops gluten and toughens pastry. The dough should feel soft but not sticky.

Shape the dough into a disc, wrap in a plastic bag or cling film, and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes. This crucial step allows the gluten to relax and the butter to firm up, ensuring your pastry rolls easily and bakes beautifully golden.

Peel and chop your Bramley cooking apples into chunks. Place in a saucepan with 75g sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples completely break down into a thick, smooth puree. Taste and adjust sweetness. Allow to cool completely.

Peel and chop your eating apples into small, bite-sized pieces (roughly 1cm cubes). Fold these raw apple pieces into the cooled cooked apple mixture at a 1:1 ratio. This dual-texture approach is what makes this apple pie recipe Paul Hollywood’s signature-the fresh apples maintain their shape and bite during baking while the cooked apples provide moisture and flavor.

Preheat your oven to 180°C fan (200°C conventional). On a well-floured surface, roll the chilled pastry to about 3-4mm thickness, rotating frequently and adding flour as needed to prevent sticking. Cut bases with your larger cutter and lids with your smaller cutter.

Gently press each pastry base into the muffin tin sections, ensuring it reaches the bottom and slightly up the sides. Use your fingers to neaten the edges and create an even rim. Don’t stretch the pastry as it will shrink during baking.

Spoon the apple filling into each pastry case, piling it high and pressing down gently. Be generous-the apples will release liquid and settle as they bake, and you want each bite to be packed with that delicious filling.

Using a small knife or mini cutter, cut a small vent (a circle, cross, or slit) in the center of each lid. This allows steam to escape during baking, preventing soggy bottoms-Paul Hollywood’s ultimate pastry crime.

Place each lid on top of the filled base, positioning it so it sits just inside the edge of the base pastry. The natural moisture from the apples will help seal the pastry-no egg wash needed for this copycat Paul Hollywood apple pie recipe. Sprinkle a light dusting of caster sugar over each lid for that professional bakery sparkle.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is deeply golden brown and flaky. Watch carefully in the final minutes to avoid over-browning. The pies may puff dramatically from steam but will settle as they cool.

Leave the pies in the tin to cool for at least 10-15 minutes. This cooling period is essential-it allows the pastry structure to set properly, ensuring those enviable crisp layers. Remove carefully when still slightly warm for the best eating experience.