No Leak Cherry Pies
Fresh cherries are just beautiful and when the season comes around I adore cherry pie and a blob of fresh cream. The juice can leak out of the pie during baking which doesn’t spoil the flavour but can make them difficult to get out of the tin if the juice has burnt on and takes away some of the beauty of your finished pie. You could also have an under baked base to your pies. This recipe will ensure your pies stay in-tact, look beautiful and are fully baked.
Makes 12
Ingredients
You will need a 12 hole deep muffin tin brushed with lining paste. One 9cm cutter and one 7cm cutter. One baking sheet in the oven to preheat.
For the pastry
11oz Plain flour
1oz Icing Sugar
pinch salt
6oz Chilled butter cut into dice
2 egg yolks
4 tbsp cold water
For the filling
400g Cherries stoned and cut in half
6 Morello Glace cherries cut in half
1 tsp vanilla extract or ½ tsp almond extract
2 tbsp black cherry jam
2 tbsp cornflour or ground rice
40g Grated white chocolate
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Preparation
Start by making the filling because it needs to be completely cold before using. In a small saucepan place all of the filling ingredients then blitz with a stick blender briefly until you have a lumpy fruity mix.. Place over the heat and stir until the mixture boils and starts to thicken. Give a good stir then transfer to a cold bowl and set aside to cool. Pop it then into the fridge. The filling needs to be thick with no juices running.
To make the pastry: place the flour, salt and icing sugar in the bowl of a food processor with the blade attachment. Add the chilled cubed butter and blitz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix the egg yolks and the cold water together then with the motor running pour the liquid down the tube in a thin steady stream.. The dough will come together into a ball. Take from the mixer, wrap in a beeswax wrap or greaseproof paper and chill for at least half an hour.
When ready to assemble divide the pastry into two pieces.. Roll each piece between two sheets of plastic then chill for 5-10 minutes.. Cut out 6 large and 6 small circles from each piece, re-rolling the trimmings as necessary. I find it easier to mould the large circles around the end of my rolling pin then pop them down into the base of the muffin tin without splitting. Alternatively, lay the large cut outs over the holes in the muffin tin then gently push down with the end of a rolling pin.
Take the chilled filling and divide between the 12 cases pushing it well down into the case with the back of a teaspoon. Don’t be tempted to over fill. About ¾ full is just about right. Pop the tops on, having made a steam hole in the centre with a small cutter. There is no need to dampen the edges of this pastry or to egg wash. Place the tarts back into the fridge to chill whilst the oven comes to temperature. Have the baking sheet in the oven ready to preheat.
When the oven has reached a temperature of 175 degrees fan (centigrade) place the pies onto the preheated sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until the pies are pale golden in colour.
Take from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the tin.
When cold, lay over a clean tea towel, then an upturned cooling tray and slowly flip them over. Remove the muffin tin and the pies will be laying face side down on the cloth.
Return them to the cooling tray and dust with icing sugar.
These pies will keep for up to 1 week in a tin.
The pies are suitable for home freezing. Either freeze unbaked or baked.
If freezing unbaked it will be necessary to freeze in the tin then remove and store in a box. I find it easier to use strips of paper inside the cups to aid popping them out once firmed up in the freezer for about 20 minutes.
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