Ingredients
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8 None large, firm pears, peeled, cored and sliced into eighths
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour + 1/2 tbsp
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup butter, chopped
2 None large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
5.25 oz frozen blackberries, thawed
1 tbsp demerara sugar
Preparation
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Place the pears in a large pan with 1/2 cup water. Cook, loosely covered, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 mins or until the pears are just tender. Drain the pears over a bowl, reserving the cooking liquid. Cool.
To make the pastry, sift the flour and powdered sugar into a bowl. Add the butter and rub with your fingers until the mixture is crumbly. Add the egg yolks and enough iced water for the ingredients to just come together, about 1 tbsp. Turn the pastry out onto a floured surface and knead gently until smooth. Cover the pastry and refrigerate for 30 mins.
Roll two-thirds of the dough between sheets of parchment paper until large enough to line an 8 inch pie dish. Lift the pastry into the pie dish and gently smooth over the base and sides to remove any air pockets. Trim the edge and place in the freezer for 10 mins.
Preheat the oven to 350\u00b0F. Cover the pastry with parchment paper and pie weights. Place the dish on a baking sheet and bake for 20 mins, then remove the paper and weights. Bake for another 10 mins or until the crust is browned lightly.
Combine the drained pears, 1/2 tbsp flour and sugar in a large bowl, then stir in the blackberries. Stand the mixture in a colander over a bowl for 5 mins to drain well. Spoon the filling into the pie crust. Next, roll out the remaining pastry until large enough to cover the pie, then place over the filling. Press the edges together to seal the pie, then trim the edges with a knife. Decorate the top with pastry scraps.
Brush the top crust lightly with some of the pear cooking liquid. Sprinkle with demerara sugar, then bake on the lowest rack for about 30 mins or until browned (cover the edges of the crust with foil if the pie is over-browning). Serve.
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