Ok this is what happens when you get a little bit ill and then end up watching too much Pushing Daisies. You're pretty much forced to create the most adorable little pies in the world (and then eat them all!) I was surprisingly pleased with them! They look all shiny and profesh, but in reality they are mega easy!
So I made two types of pie really. I've included instructions for both. I made them both at the same time because they use the same pastry so it's not too hard.
These were the flavours I made with a lattice cover. I made a cinnamon apple pie, a cherry pie and a pear and gruyere.
These were the fresh fruit pies I made. They were all baked blind and then I filled the cases with patisserie cream and topped with fresh fruit. I then coated the fruit with a syrup glaze which stops the fruit browning (and makes it look super pretty!!!)
Pastry...
225g plain flour
110g butter
80g caster sugar
1 large egg
Patisserie Cream....
300ml milk
3 large egg yolks
50g caster sugar
30g plain flour
20g of corn flour
Vanilla
Fillings...
lots of the lovely fresh fruit.
I made my apple pie with lots of Bramley apples, some cinnamon and some water
I made my cherry pie with a tinned cherry pie filling because my mum loves it!
I made my Pear and gruyere pie with pears, caster sugar, water, cinnamon and then baked gruyere cheese into the pastry.
Fruit glaze...
1/2 cup of caster sugar
1 cup of water
2tbsp cornflour
2tbsp golden syrup
My pies were tiny because I used a muffin tin. Grease your muffin tin with butter or oil. Pastry...
1) Using your hands rub the butter and the flour together using your fingertips.
2) Add the sugar
3) Mix in the egg, at this point I still had to use my hands to work the egg in as the dough was quite tough.
If you are making the gruyere crust at this point you should make a well in the middle of your dough and grate some cheese into the middle (mix in as much as you like, it’s surprising how subtle the taste becomes after it’s baked) and then knead together to combine.
4) Sprinkle your surface with flour or icing sugar and roll your dough out as thinly as you can.
5) Using a cutter or a bowl (place your bowl down onto your pastry and push, remove the surrounding pastry and then lift the bowl) cut out circles and press your circles into the muffin tray.
If you are making fresh fruit pies you will need to bake the pie cases before adding the filling. You must blind bake the cases. Put a square of baking parchment inside your pies and then pour some uncooked rice into the paper. This is to weight down the pies so they don’t rise as they bake.
6) To make your pie fillings chop your fruit and then put in a saucepan. Add enough water to cover the fruit and add spices (I used cinnamon because it’s yummy). Add a little corn flour and stir into the water.
7) Place your saucepan on a high heat until boiled.
8) Once boiled lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the fruit has softened and cooked.
9) Spoon the fruit into your uncooked pastry being careful not to add too much of the liquid.
10) Add a pie lid or a lattice.
11)This is where I’m pretty rubbish. I have an aga which is a very old English oven which is essentially like cooking on a big fire and has no temperature settings or dials. All I know is that I cooked my pies for 10 minutes, turned them and then cooked them for 5 minutes more at a high heat. I’m sorry!
Patisserie cream
1)Mix the sugar and egg yolks together.
2)Sift the flour and corn flour together and then add to the egg mixture.
3)Mix until you get a smooth paste.
4)In a saucepan heat the milk and vanilla until it boils.
5)Remove from the heat and add the egg mixture slowly, whisking constantly.
6)Pour your mixture into a saucepan and heat over a medium heat stirring constantly.
7)Bit by bit your mixture will start to thicken. At first it looks like you’ve done something really wrong and it’s just gone a bit lumpy but keep going and soon you will be left with a lovely custardy texture.
8)Place in the fridge and cool for at least an hour before filling your pies.
9)Cover your cream with oodles of fresh fruit!
Glaze 1)Put the sugar and half of the water in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
2)In a bowl dissolve the corn flour in the remaining water and add to your saucepan.
3)Cook, stirring constantly. Eventually your mixture will thicken and become clearer.
4)Stir in the syrup.
5)Bring the mixture to the boil and then remove from the heat.
6)Make sure the glaze is completely cool before using.
7)Using a paintbrush, coat the fruit with the glaze.
