Apple and Raspberry Pies

This recipe makes 6 small, slightly sweet, slightly tart mini pies. The combination of slightly stewed apples and raspberries makes for a interesting filling that is less sweet then the conventional apple pie filling.

Ingredients: Shortcrust pastry

2 cups plain flour

3 Tbs. sugar

150g cold butter, chopped

3 Tbs. iced water

Ingredients: Filling

3 large cooking apples (granny smith, fuji) peeled and chopped

1 cup frozen or fresh raspberries

1/2 cup sugar

squeeze of lemon juice

3 cloves, 1 stick of cinnamon

1/2 a lemons worth of lemon zest

1.5 Tbs. cornstarch

1.5 Tbs. cold water

Method: Pastry

1. To a food processor add the flour, sugar and butter and combine until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.

2. Add iced water until a smooth dough is formed.

3. Remove from the food processor and knead for a little bit on the bench and then roll it into a ball and wrap in plastic.

4. Refrigerate for 30 min.

Method: Filling (make while the pastry is in the fridge)

1. In a medium saucepan, put the apples with the lemon juice (add perhaps 1 Tbs of water as well), add the cloves, and cinnamon stick. Cook over medium heat for around 10 min.

2. Add the raspberries, lemon zest and sugar and mix until the sugar has dissolved.

3. In a small bowl combine the cold water and corn starch.

4. Add this corn starch to the apples and raspberries and continuously mix until the mixture has thickened.

5. Set aside to cool down.

Method: Assembly

1. Grease 6 muffin tins and preheat the oven to 400F.

2. Take the pastry out of the fridge and roll out on a lightly floured bench to 1/8 inch (3mm) thick.

3. Cut out a circle and fit this into the muffin tins.

4. Evenly divide the filling between the tins.

5. Cut out from the pastry tops to the mini pies, and using a pastry brush wet the sides of the pie bases and attach the pie tops on top (squeezing the pastry together with your fingers and pinching the pastry so that it sticks together).

6. Cut a small slit in the top of the pie.

7. If you like you can whisk an egg in a small bowl and, using a pastry brush, brush on the egg wash and then you can sprinkle some brown sugar.

8. Bake for 20-25 min until the pastry is golden.

Taken from Donna Hay "Modern Classics book 2" pp. 157 and 160.