How to Make Yeast Bread

There's nothing quite like the simple joy of taking your first loaf out of the oven, and once you've mastered the basics you can have some fun baking bread in unusual containers like tin cans...

In this era of instant gratification it can be difficult to persuade people that making their own yeast bread is a worthwhile activity. The mere mention conjures up daunting images of bouts of strenuous kneading interspersed with long waits for the bread to rise not just once, but twice. But one of the things that has kept me fired up about teaching through the 25-plus years of the Cookery School has been the look of delight on students' faces when they take their first loaf of bread out of the oven. It's almost more exciting than catching your first fish and I know that I've passed on an often forgotten skill that will touch their everyday lives forever.

For those who are apprehensive about working with yeast, Ballymaloe Brown Yeast Bread is a great introduction to yeast bread because it requires no kneading and involves only one rising. It takes about 1½ hours to make from start to finish but most of that is in the rising and baking – in real terms, it takes only about five minutes of your time. A wet dough ferments faster than a dry one.

Unlike the brown yeast bread, white yeast bread does involve kneading and double rising and knocking back. Much of the time it takes is in the is rising and baking, but the satisfaction and end result is immense and more than worth the effort.

Brown yeast bread

A few notes about the three main ingredients:

The yeast

When making brown yeast bread, remember that yeast is a living organism. In order to grow, it requires warmth, moisture and nourishment. The yeast feeds on sugar and produces bubbles of carbon dioxide that expand in the oven and rise the bread. Actually, there's no need to be scared of yeast, it's pretty good humoured and, like many of us, it has a sweet tooth and likes to be warm, so be nice to it. The average warmth of a kitchen provides a suitable environment in which yeast can grow, but a temperature of more than 50°C (122°F) will kill yeast, so ensure the water isn't too hot.

You can use dried yeast instead of baker's yeast. Simply follow the same method, but use only half the weight given for fresh yeast. Leave it longer to rise. Fast-acting yeast may also be used; just follow the instructions on the packet. Note that the dough rises more rapidly with 25g (1oz) yeast than with 20g (¾oz) yeast.

Much of the fresh yeast now available is genetically modified, so ask questions before you buy.

The flour

For brown soda bread, we use a stone-ground wholemeal flour. Different flours produce breads of different textures and flavours. The amount of natural moisture in the flour varies according to atmospheric conditions, so the quantity of water added should be altered accordingly. The dough should be just too wet to knead (it does not require kneading).

The treacle

At Ballymaloe we use treacle, but one can also use honey, golden syrup, molasses, white or brown sugar or Barbados sugar (soft, dark, brown sugar) may be used. Each will give a slightly different flavour to the bread.

Using old dough

Old yeast dough adds extra flavour and interest to a batch of bread. Sometimes when I'm making brown yeast bread, I hold back a quarter of the dough and put it in a tall glass jar (if it's white yeast dough, I use a covered bowl). Then I can save it for a few weeks and use it as a base for the next batch. The dough gets more sour and the brown bread takes on a deeper flavour, almost like pumpernickel.

Seasoning tins

When you buy new cake or loaf tins that are not non-stick, greasing them will not be enough to stop them from sticking; you'll need to do what's referred to as 'seasoning' the tins. You do this by brushing them with oil or butter and putting them in the oven for 10–15 minutes at a time. Let them cool down and repeat 3–4 times. Just to be on the safe side, put a bit of greased butter paper at the base of the tin the first few times you use it, just to ensure it doesn't stick. I far prefer this method to using non-stick tins which generally lose their coating over time and can even be dangerous.

Ballymaloe brown yeast bread

This bread has been made by hand every day at Ballymaloe House for more than 60 years – originally for the family, and then for the guests. The recipe is based on one for a nutritious loaf that Doris Grant developed at the request of the British government in the 1940s. I can't really stress enough what a favour you'll be doing your family by baking this bread. The main ingredients – wholemeal flour, treacle and yeast – are all highly nutritious. The ingredients and equipment should be at room temperature.

Makes 1 loaf

450g (1lb) strong (stone-ground) wholemeal flour OR 400g (14oz) strong (stoneground) wholemeal flour plus 50g (2oz) strong white flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black treacle
425ml (3⁄4 pint) water, at blood heat
20g (3⁄4) or more fresh non-GM
Yeast
Sesame seeds (optional)
Sunflower oil
1 loaf tin 12.5 x 20cm (5 x 8in)

Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/ gas mark 8.

Mix the flour with the salt in a mixing bowl. In a small bowl or Pyrex jug, mix the treacle with some of the water, 150ml (¼ pint) and crumble in the yeast. Leave to sit for a few minutes in a warm place to allow the yeast to start to work. Meanwhile, grease the bread tins with sunflower oil. Check to see if the yeast is rising. After about 4–5 minutes, it will have a creamy and slightly frothy appearance on top.

When ready, stir and pour it, with all the remaining water (300ml/½ pint), into the flour to make a loose, wet dough. (Don't mix it until all the water is in; otherwise it tends to go lumpy.) The mixture should be too wet to knead. Put the mixture directly into the greased tin. Sprinkle the top of the loaves with sesame seeds, if you like. Cover the tin with a tea towel to prevent a skin from forming and leave the bread to rise. This will take anything from 10–20 minutes, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

Preheat the oven to 230°C/ 450°F/gas mark 8.

When the dough has almost come to the top of the tin, remove the tea towel and pop the loaves into the oven. The bread will rise a little further in the oven; this is called 'oven spring'. If the bread rises to the top of the tin before you put it into the oven, it will continue to rise and will flow over the edges. Cook for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6 and cook for a further 40–50 minutes, until your bread looks nicely browned and sounds hollow when tapped.

We usually remove the loaves from the tin/tins about 10 minutes before the end of cooking and put them back into the oven to crisp all round, but if you like a softer crust there is no need for this.

White yeast bread

Unlike brown yeast bread, white yeast bread does involve kneading, double rising and knocking back. It takes time but not your time, as much of it is in the rising and baking. It's very tempting to use a food mixer to knead bread but I always encourage people to knead by hand to begin with. It can seem a chore but in fact it can be enormously therapeutic and relaxing when you enter into the spirit and just enjoy the process. With each loaf you make, you will continue to perfect your technique and will become more observant of the changes in the dough, depending on the flour, atmosphere and even your humour.

If you do want to use a food mixer, however, use the dough hook and knead for 5–6 minutes rather than ten.

Why knead?

The process of kneading develops the elasticity of the dough. When the yeast feeds on the sugar and creates little bubbles of carbon dioxide, the strong stretchy web will facilitate the rising process.

What is gluten?

Gluten is the protein in the flour. When it is wet it becomes elastic, so flour with a higher gluten content will expand considerably as it rises and is therefore desirable for white yeast bread.

How do I knead?

There are several different styles of hand kneading, all equally effective, so choose the style that you feel most comfortable with. It doesn't matter which style or combination you settle for, but it's important to remember that you need to work and stretch the dough in order to develop the gluten structure, so don't just play with it. Kneading needs energy and has the added bonus of providing you with a physical workout which surely can only be desirable.

To start, scrape the dough out of the mixing bowl onto the worktop. Begin to stretch and fold. It usually takes about 10 minutes to get the dough to the correct consistency, but the length of time will depend on your technique. Here are my three suggestions:

Hand kneading: method 1

Stand upright with one foot slightly ahead of the other in front of the worktop. Sprinkle a little flour on the worktop and dust your hands, too. Tidy the dough into a manageable round. Now, with your right hand, stretch the top right-hand side of the dough and then fold it back towards you. With your left hand turn the dough anticlockwise and continue stretching and folding as you knead a different part of the dough, all the time, over and over.

Hand kneading: method 2

The second effective method is to stretch the top of the dough away from you while holding onto the end closest to you. Then roll the top edge of the dough inwards towards you and press away again with the heel of your hand. Again roll towards you, another stretch and a final roll which should bring all the dough as far as the bottom edge. Now you'll have what looks like a Swiss roll in front of you, so turn it 90° and start the kneading process again from the narrow end. Continue until the dough is fully kneaded.

• See this method in pictures

Hand kneading: method 3

This third method is effective, but very noisy. It's the best method for getting rid of frustration by far, but only attempt it if you are on your own! Knead the dough until it becomes a coherent mass, then form into a longish piece. Grip by the bottom end with your right hand. Lift up the dough, flick your wrist forward and bang the dough onto the worktop, flicking your wrist to the right in the same movement, then pick up the other end of the dough and repeat the action over and over again – you'll soon feel better and the dough will benefit from the workout, too!

How do I know the dough is kneaded enough?

You will be aware of the dough changing texture as you knead. At first, if you lift up the dough and pull it apart it will break into two distinct pieces but as you continue to knead you will be able to stretch it into a longer and longer piece without it breaking. It will also become much firmer and spring back without sticking when you press it with your fingertip. When kneaded enough, it will stretch into a long roll without breaking – so you'll be able to see the long strand of gluten you've developed with your hard work.

Is it possible to overknead?

You can, but it's unlikely to happen when you are hand kneading. A dough can be overkneaded in a machine. The tell-tale signs are when the texture of the dough changes from silky and elastic to a coarse, sticky dough that is slightly curdled in appearance.

Where can I rise my bread?

Bread will rise almost anywhere (within reason) and 27°C (80.6°F) is considered the optimum temperature but remember that cold doesn't kill yeast, so if your kitchen is a bit colder than mine, the bread may take a little longer to rise – but will still be fine. Keep it out of draughts, but you don't need to put it in an airing cupboard or on top of a radiator – and it doesn't matter how much of a hurry you're in, don't be tempted to put it into a warming cupboard or a low oven. Remember, heat over 50°C (122°F) kills yeast – and breads that rise slowly have a much better flavour and are more nutritious and digestible than those that rise quickly.

What is happening when the dough is rising?

There is lots of enzyme action going on, but basically the yeast is feeding on the natural sugar in the flour and creating bubbles of carbon dioxide gas. The yeast builds up flavour from the acids and other byproducts of fermentation – even a short period of rising greatly enhances the flavour of your bread.

Ballymaloe white yeast bread

The bread that was made in my home was always soda bread, so it wasn't until I went to school in Cathal Brugha Street in Dublin that I learned the skill of making white yeast bread. Later I brought it to Ballymaloe House and they've been making it there ever since. This dough can be used to make rolls, loaves, breadsticks and all manner of bread shapes. .

Makes 2 x 450g (1lb) loaves

425ml (¾ pint) lukewarm water
20g (¾oz) fresh yeast
700g (1½ lb) strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
2 teaspoons salt
10g (½oz) sugar
25g (1oz) butter
Egg wash and poppy or sesame
Seeds for topping (optional)

2 x loaf tins 12.5cm (5in) x 20cm (8in)

Put 150ml (¼ pint) of tepid water into a Pyrex measure. Crumble in the fresh yeast and leave in a warm place for about 2–3 minutes. Sieve together the flour, salt and sugar in a large, wide mixing bowl. Then rub in the butter and make a well in the centre. Pour in the yeast mixture and most of the remaining lukewarm water. Mix to a loose dough, adding the remaining water or a little extra flour as needed.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, cover and leave to relax for about 5 minutes. Then knead for about 10 minutes or until smooth, springy and elastic (if kneading in a food mixer with a dough hook, 5 minutes is usually long enough). Put the dough into a large bowl and cover the top tightly with clingfilm. Yeast dough rises best in a warm moist atmosphere; 27°C (80.5°F) is optimum, but a slower rising is preferable to one that is too fast.

After about 1½–2 hours, when the dough has more than doubled in size, knead it again for about 2–3 minutes to redistribute the yeast in contact with the dough so it will have a more even crumb. Cover and leave to relax for a further 10 minutes.

Shape the bread into loaves, plaits or rolls, then transfer to a baking tray and cover with a light tea towel. Leave to rise again in a warm place, until the shaped dough has again doubled in size (about 20–30 minutes).

Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/gas mark 8.

The bread is ready for baking when a small dent remains if the dough is pressed lightly with the finger. Brush with water and dust with flour for a rustic looking loaf or brush with egg wash and sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds for a more golden crust.

The bread will rise a little further when it goes into the oven – this is called 'oven-spring'. Bake for 25–35 minutes, depending on size. When baked, the bread should sound hollow if tapped underneath. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

Variations

Olive oil bread

Substitute 2 tablespoons of olive oil for butter in the above recipe and proceed as above.

Plaited bread

Take half the quantity of white yeast dough after it has been 'knocked back' and divide it into three equal pieces. Use both hands to roll each one into a rope – the thickness depends on how fat you want the plait to be. It will shrink at first so re-roll each piece a second time. Then pinch the three ends together at the top, bring each outside strand into the centre alternatively to form a plait, pinch the ends and tuck in neatly. Transfer onto a baking tray and leave to double in size. Egg wash or mist the surface with water and dredge with flour before cooking.

Bean-can bread

Originally, this might have been done when people were short of loaf tins or cake tins, but it's a great way of using what you have to bake bread. Plus, it makes round slices! Choose tins (bean cans) that don't have a deep lip on top and open with a tin opener that takes off the top of the tin. Follow the white yeast dough recipe, then bake the dough in the well-greased tins. Fill the tins only about half full to allow for rising. Tins work best if they've been seasoned in the oven a few times before the dough is inserted (see above); but if in doubt, line your tins with silicone paper.

Flowerpot bread

For an interesting shape, bake the white yeast dough in well-seasoned tin flowerpots. Oil them well before using.

Brotherly Love

Reneé Hague, the son-in-law of the renowned typographer Eric Gill, was virtually our next-door neighbour for many years. In his latter years, he loved to bake and particularly enjoyed making yeast doughs. We loved to be invited to tea, as one of his specialities was this traditional Suffolk bread called 'Brotherly Love'. Do not attempt to make this unless you have fine lard from a well-reared pig.

Serves 8

450g (1lb) white yeast bread dough, as above
75g (3oz) soft pork lard
75g (3oz) sugar

Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7.

Roll the dough into a 40 x 25cm (16 x 10in) rectangular strip. Spread or dab lard over it, then sprinkle generously with most of the sugar. Roll up and leave to rise for 30–40 minutes.

Brush with water, sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6 and bake for a further 20 minutes or until fully cooked.

Leave to cool on a wire rack. Serve freshly baked and still warm, cut into slices and buttered.

• This extract is taken from Forgotten Skills of Cooking by Darina Allen (Kyle Cathie, £30)

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Jamie's American Southern Sausage Stew

From Louisianna…

olive oil
good-quality sausages (about 2 or 3 per person)
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
1 green pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
1 yellow pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
2 sticks of celery, trimmed and roughly chopped, yellow leaves reserved
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1–2 fresh red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
10 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked
1 heaped teaspoon paprika
1 heaped teaspoon cayenne pepper
2–3 heaped tablespoons plain flour
1 tablespoon white wine or cider vinegar
750ml chicken stock, preferably organic
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
cooked long-grain rice, to serve
3 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
a small bunch of fresh curly parsley, roughly chopped

Wine suggestion:
Argentinian red – a Malbec from Mendoza

Put a splash of olive oil in a pan and let it get hot. Add your sausages and let them cook away so they brown nicely on all sides. Once golden and crisp, take them out of the pan and put them on a plate to rest. Depending on your sausages, there may be a lot of fat left behind in the pan. You only want to keep about 4 tablespoons of it in the pan, so carefully pour any extra away. If you don’t have enough, just add a splash more olive oil.

Add your onion, peppers and celery to the fat and fry on a medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Stir in your garlic, chilli, thyme and spices and fry for another minute or two. Stir in your flour and vinegar, and after a couple of minutes add your browned sausages, chicken stock and tinned tomatoes, using a wooden spoon to break them up a little. Season with a nice big pinch of salt and pepper, stir, then bring to the boil and let it tick away for 15 minutes or so until you have a thick and delicious gravy.

Serve with a hearty spoonful of rice on the side and sprinkle over some sliced spring onion, chopped parsley and any reserved celery leaves. Really tasty stuff!

PS: I've also stirred chopped up pieces of cooked chicken, quail and smoky bacon through this with great results!

Jamie's American Redondo Mackerel Fillett Wraps

For the wrap
1 ripe avocado, halved and stoned
2 limes
2 mackerel fillets, pinboned
4 small flour tortilla wraps
4 tablespoons soured cream
a few sprigs of fresh coriander, leaves picked

Optional:
hot chilli sauce, to serve

For the salad
1 green or yellow courgette
4 asparagus spears
2 large spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
2 radishes, cut into matchsticks
1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
juice of 1 lime
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Wine suggestion:
French dry white – a Riesling from Alsace

Light your barbecue or get your griddle pan screaming hot. To make the salad, shave the courgette into long ribbons with a speed peeler (if it's a big one you'll want to avoid the fluffy seedy centre) and put them into a large bowl. Do the same with the asparagus spears – you will need to lay them on a board to do this, as it is a bit fiddly to hold them and shave! Add the asparagus to the bowl with the spring onions, radishes and most of the chilli. Squeeze over the lime juice, add a good lug of extra virgin olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Gently toss everything together using your hands – this will give you a beautiful salad base. Put to one side.

Scoop your avocado flesh into a bowl and mash it up with a fork along with the juice from 1 of your limes and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Put this to one side while you prepare the fish.

Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over your mackerel fillets and add a generous pinch of salt – putting extra oil on the skin side of each fillet to prevent the fish sticking to the barbecue or pan. Place the fillets, skin side down, on your hot barbecue or griddle pan and cook for 2 minutes. Turn over and give them another 2 to 3 minutes, until cooked through. Pop your 4 tortillas on the barbecue next to the fish, or in a hot dry pan for a few seconds to warm them.

To serve, spoon a quarter of the avocado mixture into the middle of each tortilla and top with a spoonful of soured cream. Break each of the mackerel fillets in half – removing any bones you see as you go – and divide between your tortillas. Toss the salad one last time and put some on top of the fish. Scatter over some coriander leaves, your remaining chilli and a few drizzles of hot chilli sauce if you fancy. Definitely give each one a good squeeze of your remaining lime, then roll your tortillas up (make sure you close the ends so it doesn't all drip out!).

Jamie's American Lime & Chilli Flatbread

Ingredients

olive oil
800g pork mince, the best
quality you can afford
1 teaspoon dried sage
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
2 green peppers, deseeded
and roughly chopped
6 small green chillies, roughly chopped
4 large ripe red tomatoes,
chopped into small chunks
1 romaine lettuce, leaves
washed and spun dry
a small bunch of fresh mint
4 spring onions
1 packet of flour tortillas
optional: 1 lime
soured cream or natural yoghurt, to serve

Put a large pan on a high heat and add a little olive oil. Add the pork mince, dried sage and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat up a bit and stir it about, then cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Add your onions, garlic, peppers and chillies, stir everything together, then fry for 15 minutes on a high heat until any liquid from the pork has evaporated and everything is starting to turn golden. When it looks good, stir in your chopped tomatoes and half a glass of water. Remember that it's supposed to be quite dry (in a really wholesome and nice way), not stewy and wet, so don’t add too much water.

Turn the heat down to medium and let it tick away for 10 minutes or so while you wash and roughly chop up the lettuce. Pick the leaves from the bunch of mint and roughly chop them. Trim and finely slice your spring onions.

When you're ready to serve your chilli, warm your tortillas in the oven at 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4 for a few minutes or in a dry pan for 30 seconds. Taste your dense chilli. More than likely it will need another good pinch of salt and pepper. If you want to give it a nice fresh edge, you can squeeze in the juice of a lime. Stir in half your chopped mint. Push a warm tortilla or flatbread into each of your little bowls and spoon some delicious green chilli on top of each one. Top with your chopped lettuce and a dollop of yoghurt. Sprinkle over the rest of your mint and spring onions and serve right away with some cold beers.

Jamie's American Candied Bacon Salad

For the creamy French dressing
6 tablespoons good-quality extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 heaped teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 heaped tablespoon natural yoghurt
sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper

For the salad
12 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, the best quality you can afford
1 clove garlic, peeled
3 slices of fresh white bread
olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
2 heaped teaspoons demerara sugar
3 clementines
5 large handfuls of mixed salad
leaves, washed and spun dry
1 pomegranate
a small bunch of fresh mint,
leaves picked

Wine suggestion:
Californian white – a Fumé Blanc

To make your dressing, put all the ingredients into a large serving bowl, whisk together, and season to taste. You want it to be slightly too acidic, so add a splash more vinegar if you think it needs it. Put to one side.

Get a large frying pan on a medium heat, add the bacon rashers and cook until lightly golden (but not really crispy), turning them every so often. Remove the bacon to a plate. Squash your garlic clove and add it to the pan, then turn the heat up a little and tear your bread into mediumsized chunks. Drop them into the pan so they suck up all the flavours and become crispy. If your bacon didn't release a lot of fat and you think the bread needs a little help to crisp up, simply add a lug or two of olive oil. Add a pinch of black pepper and shake the bread around until crispy and golden, then remove to the plate with your bacon.

Wipe the pan clean with kitchen paper, then put the bacon back in with the sugar or honey and the juice of 1 clementine. Concentrate on what you’re doing, and make sure you don’t touch or taste anything at any point because it will burn you. Stir everything around in the pan so the syrup starts to stick to the bacon. As soon as the rashers are perfectly caramelized and sticky, use tongs to carefully move them to an oiled plate and leave to cool down for a minute. Whatever shape you leave the bacon in at this point is how it will set, so give the rashers a bend or a twist. Peel the remaining clementines and slice them into rounds.

Grab your bowl of dressing and add your salad leaves. Halve the pomegranate and use a spoon to knock the back of each half and pop the seeds over the salad. Add your mint leaves, then use your hands to toss and dress everything thoroughly. Lightly toss your croutons through the salad and lay your candied bacon on top. Place your clementine rounds on top of the salad, then pass the bowl around the table and let everyone serve themselves.

Jamie's American Appleberry Pie

Optional:
good-quality vanilla ice cream, cream or custard, to serve

For the pastry
500g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
100g icing sugar
a pinch of sea salt
250g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
2 large eggs, preferably free-range or organic
a splash of milk

For the filling
10 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and halved,
3 sliced juice and zest of 2 oranges
7 heaped tablespoons caster sugar
400g huckleberries or blueberries
1 heaped tablespoon plain flour
1 large egg, preferably freerange or organic, beaten
a small handful of demerara sugar

Wine suggestion:
Italian sweet white – a Moscato d'Asti from Piemonte

You can make your pastry by hand, or simply pulse all the ingredients in a food processor. If making by hand, sieve the flour, icing sugar and salt from a height into a large mixing bowl. Use your fingertips to gently work the cubes of butter into the flour and sugar until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Transfer a handful of this mixture to a separate bowl, rub it between your fingers to get larger crumbs, then put aside. Add the eggs and milk to the main mixture and gently work it together until you have a ball of pastry dough. Don't work it too much at this stage – you want to keep it crumbly and short. Sprinkle a little flour over the pastry, then wrap it in clingfilm and pop it into the fridge to rest for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, put the apples into a large pan with the zest and juice of 1 orange, a splash of water and 5 tablespoons of caster sugar. Cover the pan and simmer on a medium heat for 10 minutes, until the apples have softened but still hold their shape. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Scrunch a handful of berries in a bowl with the remaining caster sugar and the zest and juice of your remaining orange. Add the rest of the berries. Toss the cooled apples and their juices in a large bowl with the berries and the flour, then put aside.

Preheat your oven to 180°C/350ºF/gas 4. Take your ball of pastry out of the fridge and let it come up to room temperature. Get yourself a pie dish around 28cm in diameter. Flour a clean surface and a rolling pin. Cut off a third of your pastry and put that piece to one side. Roll the rest into a circle just over 0.5cm thick, dusting with flour as you go. Roll the circle of pastry up over your rolling pin, then gently unroll it over the pie dish. Push it into the sides, letting any excess pastry hang over the edge. Tip in the fruit filling and brush all around the edge of the pastry with some of the beaten egg. Roll out the smaller ball of pastry about 0.5cm thick and use your rolling pin to lay it over the top of the pie. Brush it all over with more beaten egg, reserving a little. Sprinkle over the reserved crumble mixture and the demerara sugar.

Fold the scruffy edges of pastry hanging over the sides back over the pie, sealing the edge by twisting or crimping it as you like. Brush these folded edges with your remaining beaten egg. Using a small, sharp knife, cut a cross into the middle of the pie. Place on the bottom of the oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until golden and beautiful. Serve with ice cream, cream or custard.