In this week’s food column, Mollie Swinden shares her favourite apple pie recipe. Skip to the recipe
I’m Mollie and I’m the cook for the Printroom Cafe at the Storey. I also provide catering for events within Lancaster City Council buildings and around Lancaster.
When I first professionally entered a kitchen, it was at McDonald’s. I learnt much about efficiency and bashing out orders at lightning speed, but it wasn’t my scene. There were strict guidelines and no creative freedom. You got scolded for taking the meat off the grill in what was perceived as the “wrong” way.
After that, it was a relief to bag myself a job in the Printroom Cafe’s kitchen. Here I’ve got space to breathe, be creative and do things my own way.
One of the great things about working at the Storey is our beautiful garden. It is looked after by the lovely volunteers of The Friends of the Storey Gardens. They grow a plethora of herbs that go into our dishes and they tend a wonderful orchard, producing fresh fruit which are turned into delicious treats for the cafe.
Once the autumn harvest comes round, you’ll find me flinging out fresh apple pies and cakes daily. The pies are a customer favourite, but personally I really love doing a pear sponge with a crumble top. I am so lucky to be provided with these fresh, homegrown ingredients.
In June 2025, the Storey got a Ridan composter. Since then, food waste from the cafe, kitchen and tenant spaces in the Storey all get put inside to be made into locally made, living compost. From June-April this year, by composting food waste that could have gone to landfill, we saved around 1,438kg of CO2. It’s fulfilling to work in such a wholesome, eco-friendly environment.
Anyway, here’s my best apple pie recipe. I’m a firm believer in sharing recipes and sharing the love!
Apple Pie Recipe
Ingredients for the Pastry:
- 250g plain flour
- 125g plant-based butter alternative block
- 125g Icing sugar
- Pinch salt
- ½ teaspoon mixed spice
- 2 tablespoons soya milk
Or 1 roll of ready-made shortcrust pastry. I won’t judge!
Ingredients for the filling:
- 750g apples (peeled, cored and cubed)
- 100g soft light brown sugar
- 30g cornflour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- Pinch of salt
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon melted Flora block
Pulse the flour and Flora in a food processor a few times until it resembles breadcrumbs. Or crumb it with your fingers the old-fashioned way if you’re fancy.
Stir in the sugar, salt and spices then gradually stir in some soy milk until you get a dough. Don’t mess with it too much and try to keep it cool!
Wrap in cling film and plonk in the fridge while you do the apple filling.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Stir together all the apple filling ingredients apart from the melted Flora.
Roll out your dough and spread over a lined pie tin, leaving some for the lid.
Add your apple filling and dribble the melted butter alternative over the top.
Add the pastry lid and brush with soya milk mixed with a bit of sugar. You can substitute sugar for maple syrup.
Bake for around 45-50 minutes or until golden and glorious. Enjoy!
___________________________
This recipe was shared for Share the Harvest, a seasonal festival celebrating locally grown varieties of apples, pears and plums, rescuing unharvested fruit and raising awareness of food waste through a range of community events. FoodFutures and the Closing Loops project invite everyone in North Lancashire to pitch in and harvest, preserve, celebrate and of course eat apples and pears this autumn.
Find out more at foodfutures.org.uk/share-the-harvest
