Prep Time: 30 mins
Serves: This mixture makes large pie tin, and slices into approx. 8-10 slices
Difficulty: Moderate
INGREDIENTS
For the Pastry
For the filling
Everything else
METHOD
For the pastry, mix the flour, sugar and almonds in a bowl and then rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Stir in the milk, bit by bit, until the pastry forms into a dough and kneed it on a floured surface, wrap it up in clingfilm and put in the fridge for 30 mins - 1 hour.
Put the oven to 180*c
Crush the cardamom pod and get the seeds out, then, using a pestle and mortar crush them up
Put the plums in a saucepan with the caster sugar, bramble jelly, 2 tbsp water , vanilla paste and the ground cardamom seeds. bring to the boil, constantly stirring, until the all the sugar and jelly has dissolved down. Simmer for about 5 minutes
Mix the cornflour with about 2 tablespoons of water so it forms a loose paste and add it to the plums, stir in and then simmer for another 3-4 minutes, still stirring.
Take the pan off the heat and leave to cool a little.
Roll out the pastry and line the greased tart tin, trim off any excess pastry.
Collect all the trimmings and roll out again, and cut into strips for the lattice
Once the filling has cooled a bit then pour it into your lined tart tin - DO NOT RUSH THIS, if you pour your filling into the pie when it is still hot you will end up with the dreaded soggy bottom
Now do the lattice top, secure the edges and brush with some milk, then sprinkle a little bit of sugar on top
If you want to add some pretty shapes (flowers, hearts, stars etc) then they can look really pretty and effective too!
Bake for about half an hour or until its nice and golden and then turn the oven off, leave in the hot (but off) oven and then leave to cool in the tin.
Once cool you can sprinkle with icing sugar and serve, This pie is fine to serve warm, or to pop back in the oven a few hours later/the next day for about 10 minutes (at 160*c) to warm through.
Perfect with Cream or custard!
Recipe and picture courtesy of Anna Christoforou @ANNASKITCHENTABLESHREWSBURY
I decided on a chocolate cherry flavour, because I love cherries and they are in season, which means I could use British produce, which I prefer to do.