Autumn fruit pie

A warming pie packed with seasonal fruit.

SERVES 8 PREP 50min, plus chilling and cooling COOK about 45min

• 250g (9oz) plain flour, plus extra to dust

• 150g (5oz) unsalted butter, chilled and diced

• 3tbsp caster sugar

• 1 medium egg, separated

• 2tsp cider vinegar

• 2 ripe pears, peeled, cored and cut into 4cm (11/2in) chunks

• 3 eating apples, peeled and cut into 4cm (11/2in) chunks

• 3tbsp demerara sugar

• 1tsp vanilla extract

• 1tsp mixed spice

• 3 ripe plums, destoned and cut into 2.5cm (1in) chunks

• 3tbsp damson, plum or blackberry jam

• 50g (2oz) ground almonds

• 1tbsp cornflour

1 In a food processor, pulse the flour and butter until mixture resembles fine

breadcrumbs. Alternatively, in a large bowl, rub butter into flour with your fingers. Pulse or stir in the caster sugar. In a small jug, mix egg yolk and vinegar with 2tbsp ice-cold water. Add nearly all of it to flour mixture and pulse or mix in with a cutlery knife until pastry comes together. If it looks dry, pulse or mix in remaining yolk mixture. Tip on to a work surface and bring pastry together. Break off ⅓, shape both portions into flat discs and wrap each in clingfilm; chill for 30min.

2 On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger portion and use to line a 23cm (9in) fluted tart tin. With a sharp knife, trim overhanging pastry; wrap in clingfilm. Chill lined tin and trimmings for 20min.

3 Meanwhile, in a medium bowl mix pears and apples with demerara sugar, vanilla and mixed spice. Set aside for 15min until juices are released. In a separate bowl, mix plums and jam and set aside.

4 On a lightly floured work surface, roll the smaller portion of pastry to 3mm (⅛in) thick. Use cutters to stamp out leaf shapes. Re-roll trimmings to cut more shapes until all the pastry is used.

5 To assemble the pie, scatter the ground almonds in the base of the pastry case. Stir the cornflour through the pears and apples, then spoon the mixture and any juices into the chilled pastry case. Dot over the plums.

6 Using egg white as glue, and starting at edges, position pastry leaves on the pie, overlapping slightly but leaving space so you can see fruit. Chill for 10min.

7 Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan) mark 5 and put a baking sheet in to heat up. Brush leaves with egg white.

8 Bake pie in oven on preheated sheet for 45min or until golden. Allow to sit for 5min before removing from tin. Serve warm or at room temperature with cream or custard, if you like.

PER SERVING (WITHOUT CREAM OR CUSTARD): CALS 423; FAT 20G; SAT FAT 10G; CARBS 52G