Method

• 1.
  For the pastry, dice the butter and tip into the bowl of a food processor with the flour and ¼ of a teaspoon of sea salt, then pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
• 2.
  Finely grate the lemon zest and reserve for later, then squeeze in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, add the egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of cold water, and pulse to combine. If the mixture still looks dry, keep adding water and pulsing until the dough comes together.
• 3.
  Divide the dough in two, shape into equal-sized discs, wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up.
• 4.
  For the filling, peel and core the apples, cut into 1cm wedges and place in a saucepan. Sprinkle over reserved lemon zest and squeeze in the remaining juice.
• 5.
  Finely chop the dates, removing any pits, then stir in with the sugar and spices. Gently simmer over a medium-low heat for 6-8 minutes or until the apples are almost tender. Set aside to cool.
• 6.
  Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
• 7.
  Roll one of the pastry discs out to 5mm thick on a clean, floured surface and use it to line a deep 20cm pie dish, pushing the pastry into the edges. Trim the edges, leaving a 2.5cm overhang around the dish. Spoon in the cooled pie filling, packing it tightly.
• 8.
  Roll the second pastry disc out to 5mm thick, brush the edges with water and place over the pie, pressing the edges to seal. Fold in the overhang and crimp with your fingers.
• 9.
  For the glaze, beat all the ingredients together in a small bowl, then brush all over the pie. If you have any off-cuts of pastry, you could make extra decorations for the top, sealing with extra glaze.
• 10.
  Using a sharp knife, make incisions into the pie top to allow steam to escape during baking. Sprinkle with extra demerara sugar.
• 11.
  Bake the pie for 35-40 minutes or until the pastry is golden and firm. Delicious served warm, with pouring cream or lashings of custard.