One of the many things that Americans do well is the pie – this one is lovely, good when served while hot/warm with lightly whipped double or Cornish clotted cream, equally good when chilled and served “as is”. I love the combination of loganberries or blackberries, raspberries and wild bilberries.
2 ready rolled sheets of rich shortcrust pastry
Dry Ingredients
1 cup unrefined caster sugar
1/3 cup plain white or all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp mixed spice
Wet Ingredients
5 cups fresh berries ( blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, loganberries or raspberries)
1.5 tbsp unsalted butter, diced
- Preheat oven to 220ºC, 200ºC fan assisted, 425ªF
- Grease – with butter – a 9 inch (22.5 cm) pie tin
- Place the berries into a large baking bowl, sift the flour, sugar, cinnamon and allspice over the fruit; toss to coat the berries in flour.
- Line the prepare tin with one sheet of pastry, pressing down in the base and up the sides.
- Spoon in the filling, smooth out the surface and dot with the diced butter.
- Place the second sheet of pastry over the top of the pie tin, trim off excess with a sharp knife and crimp the edges together.
- Cut five vents/slits in the pie going outwards from about half an inch from the centre (with a sharp thin bladed knife), about 1 inch in length.
- Bake for between 35 to 40 minutes, or until the crust is a light golden colour and the juices begin to bubble through the vents.
- Check after 25 minutes – if the edges brown too quickly, cover with two layers of greaseproof paper for the last 15 minutes.
- This pie can be frozen for up to three months – before freezing, allow to cool completely, wrap in clingfilm and aluminium foil, pop in the freezer.
- When you are ready to serve – allow the pie to thaw in the fridge, bake for 15 minutes 175ºC, 155ºC fan assisted, 350ºF.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream, lightly whipped double cream or Cornish clotted cream.
