Apple and Blackcurrant Pie

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 We are lucky enough to have a very prolific black currant bush in our back garden and so our freezer is filled with black currants for me to use all year round in tasty desserts, pies, cakes, etc.   This is one of Todd’s favourite pies.  Well, apple anything is his favourite, but when you mix them with his other favourite fruits, black currants, well you have bagged a real winner!

No surprise there, as this is a totally fabulous combination.  The filling isn’t overly sweet either, which is a plus for me.

 I chose to do a lattice top this time around.  I thought it would be really pretty with all of the fruit showing through the top.  I have a lattice crust cutter.  It’s like a roller that you just roll over the pastry and it makes little slits all through the crust.

You pull them apart when you put it on top of the filling.  Make sure you really press the edges well so it stays together.  A bit of milk on the bottom edge can help with that.  Or if you are  lucky you can use a large crimper which also works well.  Or you can just do it by hand.

A lattice top looks really pretty, but the only drawback is if you serve the pie warm, it has a tendancy to fall a bit apart, but that’s okay from where I’m standing . . . 

Once your family tastes how delicious it is, they won’t care that it fell apart.  They’ll be far too busy gobbling it up!

2 tsp granulated sugar

 Make the pastry by sifting the flour into a bowl.  Drop in the butter and then rub it in with your fingertips, using a snapping motion, until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.  Add the 6 TBS cold water, only adding enough to get the mixture to hold together.  Gather into a ball gently.  Flatten slightly, wrap in plastic clingfilm and then chill in the refrigerator for half an hour.

To make the filling, quarter, peel and core the apples.  Cut into slices.  Put them into a bowl and toss with the lemon juice.  Mix the sugar, cornflour and cinnamon together and then toss with the apples.   Gently fold in the blackcurrents/blackberries. 

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Have ready a buttered 9 inch pie tin. Pop a baking tray into the oven to heat.

Divide the pastry in two.  Roll out half, on a lightly floured surface and using a floured rolling pin,  to a 14 inch diameter circle.  Gently fit into the pie dish, taking care not to stretch.  Pour the filling into the crust.

Roll out the remaining pastry to a 12 inch circle.  (I cut a lattice out of mine with a rolling lattice cutter)  Fit on top of the filling.   Press, trim and crimp the edges. If you are not using a lattice top, vent the centre of the pie.   Brush with the milk and then sprinkle with some sugar.   Place onto the preheated baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.  Reduce the oven temperature to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4, and bake for a further 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown.    Let stand for at least fifteen minutes before cutting.  Serve warm with some whipped cream, ice cream or custard.