#CherryPIEPIE

“LIP SMACKING CHERRYNESS. Heaven on a plate with a cloud of cream. ”

1x680g morello pitted cherries 

1tbs cornflour 

200g brown sugar 

1 tsp vanilla bean paste 

1-star anise 

1 cup (100g) hazelnut meal 

1 egg

1 tbs raw sugar

double cream to serve (MUST)

Pastry 

2 cups (300g) plain flour, plus extra to dust

200g butter (Pepe Saya), chopped

1/4 cup brown sugar 

3/4 cup (180ml) milk 

To make the filling place cherries and liquid in a saucepan. Stir through cornflour to combine then add brown sugar, vanilla and star anise. Place over high heat and bring to the boil, stirring, then cook for 8 minutes to reduce and thicken. Stand to cool.

Meanwhile for the pastry, place flour, butter, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add 1/2 the milk and use a butter knife to bring together to form a crumbly dough, adding more milk, 1 tbs at a time, as you go until it creates a ball. Transfer to a clean work surface and shape it into a disc. Lightly dust with flour then roll out to 5mm thickness. Transfer to a 30cm wide pie dish, with the excess pastry hanging over and chill until required.

Preheat oven to 200C.

Scatter pastry with hazelnut meal. Pour in filling and fold over pastry excess. Scatter pastry with raw sugar and bake for 45 minutes or until pastry is golden and cooked on the bottom. stand to cool slightly before cutting. Serve with a big spoonful of double cream. YUM