Apple & berry high pie

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Prep time: 40 minutes + cooling
Cooking time: about 1 hour
Serves: 8

1.5kg Granny Smith apples

lemon juice (see step 1)

1/3cup (75g) caster sugar

1 cinnamon stick

2 cups (300g) plain flour

1/4 cup (40g) icing sugar

150g cold butter, chopped

1/3cup (80mL) sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

2 cups (250g) frozen mixed
berries, thawed

whipped cream or custard, to serve

1 teaspoon caster sugar, extra

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Peel, quarter and core one apple, and cut into thick slices. Drop into a bowl of water with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent the flesh browning. Repeat with the remaining apples, working one at a time.

2. Drain the apples, and place into a large saucepan. Sprinkle the 1/3 cup caster sugar over, and add the cinnamon stick and 2 tablespoons water. Cover and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook the apples for about 5 minutes, gently turning the apples occasionally, until tender. Tip into a colander and leave them to drain and cool.

3. Meanwhile, combine the flour and icing sugar in a food processor. Add the butter and process in short bursts until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sour cream and vanilla essence, and process again in short bursts, just until the mixture starts to clump together.

4. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and gather together. Divide into 2 portions, about 1/3 and 2/3. Roll out the larger portion on a sheet of non-stick baking paper, to fit the base and sides of a 19cm (base measurement) spring-form tin. Line the tin with the pastry, and neaten the edge so it sits about 1cm above the rim. Save the paper, and refrigerate pastry for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, roll the remaining pastry out on a sheet of non-stick baking paper, to a size which will fit the top of the tin. Place onto a board, and refrigerate until needed.

5. Line the pastry with the paper, and fill with dried rice or beans. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the paper and rice and bake a further 10-15 minutes, until lightly golden and the base is dry. Let this pastry base cool completely.

6. Spoon the cooled apple into the cooled pastry shell, and top with the berries. Cut a few small shapes in the top sheet of pastry, then lay them over the pie dish. Crimp the edges to seal, and trim away any excess (try not to let the pastry overhang the side of the tin). Brush the top with egg white, and sprinkle with the extra caster sugar. Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden-brown. Serve with cream or custard.