Serves: 12, Calories: 410

Ingredients

Pastry:

• 350g plain flour.  1198
• 200g cold butter, cubed.  1502
• 2 tbsp (60g) icing sugar.  240
• 2 egg yolks.  120
• 2 tbsp cold water = 3120

Filling:

• 1kg frozen sweet cherries, thawed.  660
• 125g caster sugar.  500
• 25ml brandy.  55
• ½ tsp almond extract.  17
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 50g butter.  375
• 50g cornflour - slurry.  170
• 1 tsp G/sugar to sprinkle (optional).  20
• = 1797

Method

1. Filling: In sauté pan; Melt butter. Add cherries (inc juice), almond, Brandy, sugar and spices. Stir well. Cook for 5 mins, until cherries are tender. Thicken with slurry. Bubble. Transfer to Pyrex dish. Cool for 3 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 200°C Fan/Gas Mark 7.
3. Pastry: In large mixing bowl; Rub flour, butter and icing sugar to breadcrumb consistency. Add egg yolks and water, cut in with knife. Ball together.
4. Divide into two balls, one slightly larger.
5. Flatten and wrap in plastic, chill for 30 mins minimum.
6. Roll larger ball to 3mm thick (green guide bands).
7. Line 9" pie dish. Trim a little. Egg/milk wash edge.
8. Fill pie with fruit and juice.
9. Roll smaller ball to 3mm thick.
10. Cover pie. Trim. Crimp edges. Egg/Milk wash top. Cut vents. Sprinkle with sugar.
11. Bake for 20 mins then turn oven to 180°C. Bake for 30 mins covered with foil. Remove foil and bake for approx 30 mins more until filling bubbles through vents.
12. Remove from oven. Cool for 2 hours.

Calories = 4917

• 4917 / 6 = 820
• 4917 / 8 = 615
• 4917 / 12 = 410

(Less due to pastry offcuts)

Tip: To make sure pie is cooked, allow 10 mins more baking time, after filling starts to bubble through vents.

Tip: For a sweeter tooth, add 20% more sugar! This will depend on cherries used.

Tip: If using fresh, ripe, pitted cherries, stew for 20-25 mins until tender (inc other recipe filling ingredients), add water and cornflour to desired consistency.

Note: Use half quantities of filling in 6.¾" white pie dish. For pastry, use 200g plain flour, 110g butter, 34g icing sugar, 1 yolk and 1 tbsp water. Bake for 15 mins at 200°C, 30 mins with foil, then 20 mins at 170°C, without foil.

Note: Allow 10 mins more oven time if filling was chilled, prior to compiling pie.

Note: Consider that approx 30% of your fresh fruit will be lost, once pitted.