Cherry Pie

Do you love cherry-stained smacking lips? You do? You do? Well, get out of here and grab yourself a bucket for some happy-tra-la-la-la cherry picking! If you're a super cherry enthusiast, you'll even have not one ...(wait for it)... but TEN sticky red juicy fingers! Don't forget to spit out those pits. Make it fun! Make it naughty. Stick it in a straw and pit shoot your nasty neighbours.

I love cherries. I go crazy with cherries. I so l-u-r-v-e cherries.

It's not cherry season yet but they had some imported from the U.S. (you lucky people). The other week, I was craving for apple pie and Mr. G wanted cherry. So I bought granny smiths and cherries to have double the pie glutton! Oh why not? There's always spring to lose the winter weight.Cherry Pie ( serves 8 )

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Sweet Shortcrust Pastry (adapted from Donna Hay)

• 2 cups plain flour
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 150g cold butter, chopped
• 2-3 tbsp iced water
• one egg, beaten
• sugar to sprinkle

Filling:

• 4 (approx. 920g) cups cherries, pitted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Put flour, sugar and butter together.
3. Combine everything with fingers or in a food processor until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
4. Add enough ice water to form a smooth dough.
5. Knead the dough, wrap in a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
6. Mix ingredients for filling.
7. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface or between non-stick baking paper until 2 - 3mm thick.
8. Line the tart tin.
9. Put top crust on. Cut vent slits in top crust.
10. Brush with egg and sprinkle with sugar.
11. Bake for 30 minutes or until crust is a golden colour.

Apple Pie

This didn't turn out the way I'd wanted it to. It was my first attempt at making pie from scratch (- which means no cheating with the base!) and I didn't really know what to expect. It didn't turn out badly, just, lumpy. I reflect that it might be from a few things:
1. I didn't refrigerate the dough for 20 to 30 minutes which was vital for the dough to harden and bind.
2. I didn't have 1.5 kg apples and used less.

So this is what happened: the dough was so soft that it fell apart before I could put it into the pie tin. And because there was less apples than required, it was a rather lame, lumpy looking pie.
Thank goodness it tasted fine because it was KK Tuesday. And Tuesday is a mini family reunion at G's place. Everyone comes back from where they are have gather round the family table to catch up. It's a rather nice atmosphere. Full of stories, laughter, jokes, silly things and always makes me feel a little less homesick. :)

Apple Pie ( serves 8 )
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Ingredients:

For Pastry:

• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 150g butter, cold and chopped into small cubes
• 1/4 cup caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp cold water
• an egg yoke
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp flour
• 1 tsp sugar

For Pie Filling

• 1.5Kg Golden Delicious or Granny Smith apples
• 1 cup water
• 3-6 Cloves (whole) or 1 tbsp of ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup caster sugar
• 1 level tbsp plain flour

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Method:
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For Pastry

1. Sift flours, sugar, butter and salt into a mixing bowl.
2. Rub the butter and flour with finger until combined.
3. Add egg and water mixing quickly into dough.
4. Press the mixture together with hands.
5. Knead lightly with a little extra flour.
6. Set aside and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

For Pie Filling

1. Peel, core and slice apples.
2. Place apples into a large saucepan with water and cloves (or cinnamon).
3. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes.
4. Shake the pan occasionally until apples are tender, not soft.
5. Drain the excess liquid. Set apples aside to cool.
6. When cool, remove the cloves.
7. In a bowl, mix the apples with the sugar and flour.

To Assemble:

1. Preheat the oven at 190C (375F).
2. Divide the pastry into two-thirds and one-third.
3. Roll out two-thirds of the pastry on a lightly floured surface until 3mm thick.
4. Place it in a shallow 22cm pie tin.
5. Fill with the apples.
6. Brush the milk on the edges of the pastry
7. Roll out the remaining pastry to fit over the top of the pie.
8. With the fork (dusted in flour), press the edges of the pie to seal firmly.
9. Cut the excess pastry with a knife.
10. Brush the top of the pie with the egg yoke and sprinkle with sugar.
11. Place in the oven for 30 minutes, or until golden and crisp.