Its still the month of love, and what better way to bring it to a close than with some comforting pastry treats, like this little love pie with it’s warm and welcoming crust, that oozes sweet & tangy berry sauce.
It’s the perfect way to end off a Valentine’s day lunch, and an even sweeter way to celebrate a woman we all love. A honeypot of a woman who has all our hearts indeed: My sweet mother-in-law.
It’s her birthday on V-day, and we had plotted cool little ways to celebrate her special day. Also, since Mike and I no longer really celebrate valentines day in the traditional way, we like to spoil my mom as well. By the way, instead of the traditional V-day celebrations, we have a slightly different philosophy about how we spend that day. But any more on that requires a separate post all on it’s own for another day. So before I digress any further, back to the celebration plotting and planning: the weather just didn’t play with, so both plan A and plan B were scratched and we ended up back at our house for a little low key celebration.
Things may not have gone to plan like we wanted to, where we could make the birthday girl feel as special as we would have liked, so instead I poured myself into this pie. Achy body, worn-out brain, with tell-tale red eyes of too many weeks without proper sleep, I couldn’t wait to get cracking on this pie. May sound a bit like sucker for punishment. BUT, if there is something that my mom has taught me, is that it ain’t a birthday celebration till you push aside a little more exhaustion and pour all your love into some homemade baked goods for the special person.
And this was it, folks. Besides, twas a Sunday and every Sunday lunch with the moms call for some decadent dessert, and this tangy little berry number did the trick!
Its best served cooled with some cream or ice-cream, but my mom couldn’t wait for it to reach the desired temp and served up a slice for the birthday girl. It may have oozed all over the place at first in it’s hot state, but there’s something about a warm pastry, with these oddly clashing yet complimentry tastes of sweet blueberries and tangy raspberries .
Lets be honest here…I know it looks more like a Berry Massacre there….but it was bloody tasty
Needless to say, it was enjoyed by all. So without further ado, here is the recipe:
What you will need:
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-Pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie (ie.top and bottom requires crust)
-1 punnet of berries (I used the punnet of mixed berries – raspberry and blueberry)
-1 egg
-1 cup white sugar
-1/3 cup cake wheat/all-purpose flour
-1/8 teaspoon salt
-2 tablespoons butter
-1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
-1/4 teaspoon red food colouring (optional)
-3/4 cup apple juice
Directions
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1. Preheat oven to 180 C.
2. If you’re making, then make pastry now and refrigerate. Else if store bought pastry, ensure its defrosted and remains cool.
3. In a saucepan combine sugar, flour and salt. Stir in apple juice and bring to a boil, stirring often.
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Mixture will thicken.
5. Once mixture is thickened, add butter, almond extract, food colouring and berries.
6. Cover and refrigerate.
7. On lightly covered surface, roll out half of the pastry and place over pie die and cut into place. Being sure to have pastry up along the sides of dish.
8. Roll other half of pastry into another 9 inch circle. With a knife or pastry wheel, cut eight 1.5 cm strips.
9. Pour cooled berry filling into pie dish.
10. Place pastry strips horizontally, then vertically, across the top of the pie and lightly brush with egg yolk.
11. Bake 15 to 25 minutes, and cool before serving.
Tips:
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-If seems to be browning too quickly in the oven then cover with foil (shiny side down) and then continue to bake till ready.
-Be sure that the bottom of pastry is also cooked through.
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So whether you serve it hot or cooled, on Valentines day or any other day (its v-day year long, right?), I hope you pour yourself into it, and get to share it with those that you love.
But its also fine if you don’t share it – I wont blame you! 🙂
Happy baking!x
