Apple & Cherry Pie, a sweet spring delight

This twist on an all time favourite apple pie adds berry sweetness to the tart, fresh seasonal apples. It uses a shortcrust pastry and your precooked fruit filling for an easy, perfect-every-time dessert.

Ingredients:

10 sweet apples such as pink lady, royal gala, jazz or sundowner

1 and half cups of pitted fresh cherries

1 lemon - juice and finely grated rind

2 tspns ground cinnamon

2 sheets of frozen shortcrust pastry

1 beaten egg for egg wash on pastry

Course brown sugar for pastry topping

Almond meal (optional) added to base of pie shell

Method:

1. Cut apple into 1.5cm-thick slices into a large saucepan.

2. Pit the cherries by pushing a skewer through from top to bottom, then cut in half and add to saucepan.

3. Add lemon rind and juice, cinnamon and a pinch of salt and stir to combine. Cover with a lid and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender but retain their shape (10-20 minutes). Set aside to cool, then strain.

4. Preheat oven to 220C. Stand 2 pastry sheets at room temperature for 10 minutes.

5. Line a 22.5cm, 3cm-deep pyrex pie dish with 30cm round of pastry.

6. Add thin layer of almond meal to the base (optional)

7. Fill the dish with apple and cherry filling, then gently lift the pastry lid on top ( or cut and add lattice strips)

8. Trim the pastry to a little beyond the rim of the dish, then press and crimp the edges together.

9. Whisk egg white, brush the pie top with it, sprinkle with sugar and cut a few 5cm slits in the top.

10. Transfer to oven and reduce the temperature to 185C and continue to bake, rotating the dish halfway through cooking, until pie is deep golden brown (40-50 minutes). Set aside to cool a little before serving.