Apple & Blackberry Pie

There is something quite joyful about apple and blackberry pie at the best of times, but when feeding guests, one has a tendency to go overboard with the portion size - my inner greediness.  I’d say this recipe would serve eight hungry people or perhaps ten modest portions, so it’s certainly one for a large dinner party. In fact, it makes an ideal dessert for feeding a large number as you can prepare it a day ahead and pop it in the oven 40 minutes before serving. Paired with a generous portion of custard, or indeed ice cream, you have yourself a stress free impressive homely dessert.

The decadent aroma of apples and sweet pastry drifting though the house is just heavenly, you’ll hardly be able to wait until it’s cooked through. And you can get creative with the pie top, which is just good plain fun if you ask me. Having recently purchased some star shaped cookie cutters I was rather pleased with my little work of art.

As I needed such a large pie I decided to make it in a stoneware roasting tray, rather than a traditional pie dish, the dimensions of which are: 32 x 23cm. Of course, you can half the ingredient quantities below for an ordinary 23cm pie dish.

Firstly preheat the oven to 200⁰C.

For the pastry

NB: This is a sweet pastry for desserts

500g plain flour

350g unsalted butter (must be cold)

125ml cold water

3 tbsp caster sugar

1 tsp salt

1 egg

Start by combining the butter, flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Rub the mixture between your thumbs and forefingers to create a crumb like mixture. There should be no large lumps of butter; you are looking for a breadcrumb consistency.

In a separate bowl mix the egg together with 125ml cold water, add to the flour mixture and kneed until combined. Form the pastry into a ball and wrap in cling film. Store this in the fridge whilst you make the filling. The pastry is easier to work with when cold.

For the filling

200g caster sugar

300g blackberries

6 cooking apples

2 tbsp corn flour

1tsp ground cinnamon

To make the pie filling, add the sugar, cinnamon and corn flour to a large bowl. Peel, core and slice the cooking apples into large chunks, add these to the bowl along with the blackberries. Using your hands, carefully mix together ensuring that all of the fruit is coated with the sugar mixture. Set this aside while you roll out your pastry.

On a floured surface, roll out half of the pastry to slightly larger than your pie dish; you want the pastry to be about 3mm thick. Lay this into the pie dish ensuring the pastry comes all the way up the edges. Spoon the fruit mixture into the pastry lined dish.

Cover the top with the rolled out remaining pastry, tucking the edges under to meet the sides. Crimp the edge with a folk and decorate the top with any left of pastry.

Cut a few slits in the top to allow the steam out whilst cooking.

Place in the centre of your pre-heated oven for 25 minutes. Remove the pie after 25 minutes and cover with foil to prevent the pastry from burning. Place back into the oven for a further 25 minutes.