Winter Fruit Pie
This recipe is from a Lantern recipe book from Penguin simply called Matt Moran. I bake this pie/tart regularly because it is constantly requested by the family and works as a treat or an elegant dinner party dessert. Can be served warmed or room temperature. And much of it can be done well in advance. Perfect!
Ingredients
45g dried apples
40g dates
100g dried pears
150g dried apricots
150g prunes
100g dried figs
ground allspice
ground cinnamon
120ml brandy
200g caster sugar
2 large egg yolks
40ml cream
salt
jar pref homemade of apricot jam
Pastry
750g plain flour
450g unsalted butter
100g icing sugar
1 egg
Tip all dried fruit and teaspoon of the spices into a bowl, add brand, enough hot water to cover the fruit, then cover the bowl and leave to soak for 24hrs in the fridge.
Make the pastry using a food processor – whizz flour, butter, sugar until you have breadcrumb consistency. Add egg with motor running until the dough forms. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest for a couple of hours in the fridge.
Roll out half the pastry and line your tart tin of about 27cm. Rest in the fridge…and let your tart case rest too ☺ Roll out the other half to roughly 5mm thickness and cut into 1cm strips using a zig zag cutter if you must.
Right, pre-heat oven to 170 degrees Celsius. Strain fruit but reserve liquid. Chop fruit roughly and set aside Put reserved liquid into a saucepan, add sugar and heat, stirring until the syrup turns golden brown. Moisten the fruit with a little of the syrup.
Spoon fruit into the tar shell and lace the strips. Don’t get too precious about this. Whisk egg yolks and cream with a pinch of salt – just lightly – and brush over the top of the pie. Bake until golden brown…depending on your oven, around 40 mins.
While the pie is still hot, bring apricot jam to boil with 150ml of water, then glaze your creation in it.
Serve with either thick cream or vanilla ice cream. It’s going to serve at least eight and up to ten people.