cherry pie

Cherry Filling
4 cups fresh cherries, pitted
1 cup caster sugar
Juice of 1/4 lemon
1 teaspoon good vanilla bean paste
2 tablespoons corn flour, dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water

Combine cherries, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla in a saucepan. 
Heat until all sugar has dissolved (about 5 minutes).
Add cornflour mixture, and continue on heat until mixture thickens (about 3 – 5 minutes).
Remove from heat and cool.
This mixture can be made in advance, and kept in the fridge until required.

Shortcrust pastry
250g plain flour, sifted
100g cold butter, diced
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons sour cream

Add flour, icing sugar and butter into a food processor.
Process until the mixture resembles rough breadcrumbs.
Add the egg, and pulse until just combined.
Add sour cream one teaspoon at a time, until a soft dough is formed. You may not need all the sour cream.
Remove from food processor, and wrap in cling film. Set aside in fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Bringing the pie together:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celcius.
Roll out pastry to 3mm thick, and line the base and sides of your pie tin with the pastry.
Place tin (with pastry) in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Line the pastry with baking paper and weights, then blind bake in the oven for 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, roll out additional pastry to 3mm and use a cookie cutter to cut star shapes which will be used to top the pie.
Remove pie crust from the oven. Take out the weights and baking paper.
Add filling to crust, and then top with pastry stars.
Bake for a further 12 minutes, or until the top has browned.
Allow the pie to cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then remove from mold.
Dust with icing sugar, and serve with vanilla bean ice cream.

Enjoy!