CHERRY PIE

Preparation time 20 mins plus chilling and cooling Cooking time 45 mins Serves 6

3 sheets ready-made

shortcrust pastry, thawed 1 free-range egg, beaten 350g cherries, pitted (or thawed

and drained well)

100g cherries in kirsch from

jar, drained

4 Tbsp icing sugar

3 Tbsp cornflour

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

2 Tbsp demerara sugar Whipped cream, to serve STEP 1 Put one sheet of pastry on a lightly floured surface. Brush with a little beaten egg. Top with a second sheet and roll lightly to join and enlarge slightly. Use a rolling pin to drape into a 20cm loose-bottomed springform tin, pressing into side. Trim edge to leave 1cm of overhanging pastry, then chill. Cut a circle from remaining pastry sheet, 1cm larger than the tin, then put on a baking paper-lined oven tray and chill. STEP 2 Put all cherries in a bowl with icing sugar, cornflour, lemon juice and vanilla. Toss gently, then carefully spoon into pie base. Drape pastry lid over top, trim excess, then crimp together with overhanging pastry until tightly sealed. Use a small, sharp knife to cut a 1cm cross in the centre for a steam hole. Brush top with a little beaten egg. Chill for 30 minutes. STEP 3 Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced (200°C conventional). Brush pie again with egg and sprinkle over demerara sugar. Bake for 45 minutes until pastry is golden brown, covering with foil if it gets too dark. Cool for 15 minutes, then carefully remove pie from tin, cut into wedges and serve with whipped cream.

CHERRY PIE Sprinkle the top of this classic dessert with demerara sugar to give a crunchy, toffee finish.