Vegan puff pastry apple pies

Peel & core the apples, then cut them into small chunks. Put them in a small pan with the sugar, cinnamon, water and margarine. Bring to the boil, then stir over low heat, until you get a thick apple sauce. Stir in the vanilla and set it aside. Let it cool completely. This step can be made well ahead – but do keep the apple sauce in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Unroll the pastry, then fold in half and cut it into two pieces along the folding line.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and put one of the rectangular pastry on the paper.

Spread the sauce evenly on top, allowing a 1 cm rim all around.

Use a pastry pattern cutter on the other pastry piece, then stretch it out evenly and carefully. Put this on top of the filled pastry, then cut off any excess pastry. Using your fingers, seal the edges of the two pastry pieces all around the sides to create a rim.

If you don’t have a pattern cutter, fold the second pastry in half lengthways, then score the pastry from the folded side towards the cut side at 1 cm intervals, leaving a 1 cm border at the cut side. Put this on top of the filled pastry, then push together the rims with your fingers.

You can scatter some sugar on top, if you prefer a crunchy, caramelised finish.

Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and golden brown.

Let it cool, then cut it into 4 rectangles.