BLACKCURRANT PIE

I will never forget my first taste of Blackcurrant Pie!  When I was growing up we often used to go for lunch in a cafe called 'The Tender Trap' in St. Annes-on-Sea.  The blackcurrant pie was made by Mrs. Sterk and it was the most delicious thing I had ever tasted.  This recipe is my attempt at replicating it!

INGREDIENTS
Shortcrust Pastry or *Sweet Shortcrust Pastry, see bottom of post
4-6 Cups of Blackcurrants
1-2 Tablespoons of Cornflour
½ Cup Sugar
Lemon zest (optional)

METHOD
Filling
Toss the blackcurrants in the cornflour, sugar and lemon zest, put aside.
The cornflour mixes with the juice from the blackcurrants to form a thick jammy filling

Pastry
Make the Shortcrust Pastry as per my recipe
or *Sweet Shortcrust Pastry, see bottom of post

Leave to chill for 20 minutes

Divide the pastry into two and roll out

Line a pie plate with half of the pastry, using the plate as your guide

Fill with the blackcurrant mixture

Dampen the edges of the pastry with a little water

Top with the other half of the pastry

Press down on the pastry edges making sure they are properly sealed.  Hold the plate elevated in one hand, with the other hand trim off any excess pastry with a knife in a downward motion, using the plate edge as your guide

Flute the edges with a pinching action using your fingers and thumb. If you struggle to do that you can always just use a fork and press down on all the edges to make a lined pattern on the pastry edge

Decorate with pastry leaves, sticking them down with a little water

Make two small incisions in the middle of the pastry lid to let the steam escape

Brush the pastry lid with a little milk and sprinkle with granulated sugar

Bake at 200c for 25–30 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and golden-brown.

Serve with cream or custard

VARIATIONS
You could replace the Blackcurrants with Peaches

Instead of using pastry you could make this into a Sponge Pudding

*Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
This is Paul Hollywood's recipe.  Use the same method as in my Shortcrust Pastry, mixing the flour and icing sugar together, adding the butter, then the egg and lemon juice:

7oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tbsp icing sugar
3½oz unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1cm/½in cubes
1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp lemon juice