Author: <span class="vcard">Clive Gordon</span>

A little technical challenge but rather rewarding!

Ingredients

Dough:

300 g              flour
150 ml            milk
85 g                sugar
18 g                fresh yeast
50 g                butter, soft
2½ g               salt
1                      egg yolk

Filling:

700 g              cherries, drained weight
350 ml            cherry juice
70 g                 sugar
2 tbsp              caster sugar
1 tsp                 vanilla paste
2½ tbsp          maizena
1                        lemon, juice and zest
1                       orange, juice and zest
1tsp                  all spice
1                       cinnamon quill

Assembly:

1                      egg yolk, beaten
50g                 sugar

Method

Dough

• Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm milk – not too hot, or it will kill the yeast.
• Add the salt and sugar to the flour, and combine.
• Add the milk and egg and bring it together.
• When it starts forming a ball, add the soft butter.
• Knead for 5 minutes.
• Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover and let it rest for 30 minutes in a warm place (do not over proof or the dough will be yeasty).

Filling:

• Combine the maizena with the sugar.
• Pour the cherry juice in a pan and add the vanilla, spices and orange and lemon zest and juice.
• Add the thickening agent/sugar mixture.
• Slowly bring to a boil, while stirring and watching as the liquid becomes clear.
• When you reach this boiling stage, gently boil it for 1 minute further.
• Add the drained cherries and bring to a simmer.
• Allow to cool.

Assembly:

• Preheat the oven to 220°C.
• Divide the pastry into two – one ⅔ and one ⅓.
• Roll larger dough out to 3mm thickness (any thicker and the dough will rise too much when baking).
• Line a pie dish with the pastry, and dock the base with a fork to retard the rise.
• Chill for 10 minutes in fridge (it must chill to retard the yeast activation).
• Add the cherry filling, evenly.
• Roll the remaining dough to 3mm thick. Cut into 7mm strips.
• Make a woven lattice over the top of the pie.
• Brush with egg yolk and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes. If the top browns too quickly, temper your oven down to 180°C after 15 minutes.
• Allow to cool on a tray and then transfer to a platter.