Cherry Pie

This juicy Cherry Pie may be served as a dessert with fresh cream or a light custard sauce or as a very special coffee-

time treat.

8 oz. flour

½ teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons castor sugar

2 oz. plus

1 tablespoon

butter 2 oz. vegetable fat 2 egg yolks

2 tablespoons iced water

2 lb. canned stoned cherries

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla essence

1 tablespoon cornflour 1 egg white, lightly beaten

Sift the flour and salt into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the castor sugar and stir to mix. Using a knife, cut 2 ounces

of the butter and the vegetable fat

Black cherries flavoured with Cognac and cinnamon, Cherriesubilee makes a luscious end to a superb dinner. into the flour. Using your fingertips, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre of the mixture and add the egg yolks mixed with

1 tablespoon of iced water. With the knife, mix the flour mixture with the egg yolks, then use your hands to mix the ingredients until a smooth dough is formed. Add more iced water if the pastry is too dry. Pat the pastry into a ball, wrap

it in greaseproof or waxed paper and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to fairly hot 375°F (Gas Mark 5, 190°C). Grease a medium-sized pie dish with the remaining butter and set

it aside.

Drain the cherries, reserving 6 fluid ounces of the fruit syrup, and set them aside. In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the cherry syrup with the granulated sugar and vanilla essence over moderate heat until the mixture comes to the boil. Add the cherries and cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer, or until the cherries are heated through. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cornflour . Mix gently until the cornflour has completely dissolved and the liquid has thickened. Set the pan

aside in a cool place.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide it in two, one piece slightly larger than the other. On a lightly

floured surface, roll out the larger piece of dough until it is quite thin. Line the pie dish with this dough. Spoon in the cherry filling, spreading it out evenly in the dish.

Roll out the remaining dough on the floured surface to a circle slightly larger than the pie dish. Place this dough over the cherry filling, folding under the over-hanging dough and pressing the edges of quick, easy and economical. the dough together with your fingertips. Make two or three slits in the pastry lid. With a pastry brush, lightly brush the egg white over the pastry. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 40 minutes, or until the pastry is deep golden brown.

Serve either hot or cold.