A Cherry Pie Recipe for this summer’s Wimbledon

3rd July 2017

I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that it’s Wimbledon time again; sun (sometimes), tennis, furrowed brows and of course, a sea of strawberries – 142,000 portions, to be precise. With so many other soft fruits coming into their own right now it seemed like a wasted opportunity not to be a bit more creative. No offence, strawberries. Plus, I have an enormous cherry tree in my garden and over-enthusiastic children who picked something in the region of 142,000 portions at the weekend. They seriously needed using up.

There’s something so appealing about the words ‘cherry’ and ‘pie’, they smack of halcyon summer days and a life free of care, you could very well be perched on a high stool in a diner, somewhere far away. Didn’t Doris Day say that ‘life is just bowl of cherries’? I can’t promise you any of that but I can promise you that you’ll want to devour this in one sitting.

Cherry and Vanilla Pie

You’ll need:

For the filling

800g cherries (un-pitted weight) halved and pitted

50g caster sugar

2 tbsp cornflour

25g salted butter (cut into little pieces)

100g cherry conserve or jam

1 tbsp vanilla extract

For the pastry

225g cold butter (cut into little pieces)

400g plain flour

75g caster sugar

2 egg yolks (don’t throw the whites away)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

1.  First make the pastry. Add the butter and flour to a food processor and mix until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, egg yolks, 2 tbsp cold water and vanilla and mix again. Add a little bit more water if it seems dry

2. Divide into two pieces (one a little bit bigger than the other). Wrap in cling film and leave in the fridge

3. Heat the oven to 200C/2180C Fan/Gas 6. Grease a 20-22cm pie dish

4. On a floured surface roll out the larger piece of pastry, aim for the thickness of a £1 coin and place it in the pie dish. Trim the pastry but leave some overhanging because it will shrink back. Prick the base with a fork all over, or add some baking beans – if you have them. Bake blind for around 20 minutes. Remove the beans and trim the edge to neaten

5.  Roll out the second piece of pastry and set aside

6. In a large bowl mix the cherries, sugar, vanilla, jam, butter and cornflour together.

7. Turn the oven down to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Pour the cherry mixture into the cooked pastry case.

8. Carefully place the pastry lid onto the pie. Trim and press down to seal with a fork. Brush with egg white.

9. Bake for 35 minutes. Brush again with more egg white and scatter with a little caster sugar. Bake again for five more minutes until golden brown

10. Leave for 20 minutes and serve with ice cream, cream or crème fraiche

What are your favourite Wimbledon treats?

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