Twin Peaks Cherry Pie

Twin Peaks Cherry Pie

This 'should' serve eight people.

1 quantity of easy flaky pastry made with 2 tbsp caster sugar

Milk to glaze (rather than egg)

1 ¼ cup sugar3 tbsp arrowroot powder (tapioca flour)

2 tbsp corn flour (corn starch)

1 tsp cinnamon

5 – 6 cups of fresh, frozen (not thawed) or tinned (and drained) morello cherries

1 tsp vanilla essence½ tsp almond essence

Make pastry, halve, wrap in plastic and pop in the fridge to chill for at least one hour (even two).

About 30 minutes before baking, add sugar, arrowroot, corn flour and cinnamon to a large bowl and whisk to combine.

Add cherries and essences and turn until well coated with sugar mixture.

Set aside for 20 – 30 minutes.

For an easier-to-handle lattice top, roll out top pastry and cut neatly into strips.

Use a ruler if you like precision: usually I can’t be bothered. Pop these strips onto a baking paper-lined oven tray and into the freezer for 20 minutes or so.

They’ll be easier to handle and weave when they’re firm!

When ready to bake, roll remaining disk of pastry to fit a standard sized pie plate. Trim, leaving a 1cm overhang.

Pour in cherries and scrape in all the sugar mixture – this will make your sauce! Carefully arrange firm pastry strips in a lattice weave over the top of the pie. Leave it to rest and soften for a few minutes.

When softened, gently press the strips into the edge and turn under, as for a regular pie. You can then shape the edge to the design you like best, or simply crimp with a fork. Brush with milk and pop into oven.

Bake at 220C for 30 minutes then cover edges with foil to prevent burning.

Return to oven, turn down to 200C and bake until pie is golden – around 30 minutes