Method

1. 01 · Make, divide and chill the pastry

   65–70 min

   Use: Plain flour for the pastry; Caster sugar for the pastry; Fine salt for the pastry; Unsalted butter for the pastry; Ice-cold water for the pastry

   Mix the 300 g pastry flour, 10 g pastry sugar and 4 g pastry salt. Rub or cut in the 170 g cold butter until it remains in small flakes and pea-sized pieces. Add the 110 g ice-cold water and toss with a fork, then press into a cohesive dough without kneading. Divide into two pieces, about 356 g for the base and 238 g for the lid. Flatten into discs, wrap and refrigerate for 60 minutes.

   Ready when: The dough holds when pressed, with small visible butter pieces; it is cold and firm after resting.

   

2. 02 · Cook the filling while the pastry chills

   30–40 min

   Use: Prepared firm tart apples; Prepared firm ripe pears; Caster sugar for the filling; Cornflour; Ground cinnamon; Fine salt for the filling; Unsalted butter for the filling; Lemon juice

   While the pastry chills, prepare the apples and pears. Mix the 80 g filling sugar, cornflour, cinnamon and 1 g filling salt in a small bowl. Melt the 20 g filling butter in a wide 28 cm heavy pan, add both fruits and the lemon juice, and cook over medium heat for 8–12 minutes, stirring gently. Scatter the sugar mixture evenly over the wet fruit and stir well. Cook for 3–5 minutes more, until the juices bubble and thicken.

   Ready when: The fruit is partly tender and still holds some shape; the juices coat it thickly rather than running freely.

   

3. 03 · Cool all the cooked filling completely

   45–60 min

   Use:

   Spread all the cooked filling in a shallow dish and let it cool completely, allowing up to 60 minutes. Refrigerate if it is ready before the pastry. Do not put warm filling into the cold pastry.

   Ready when: The fruit is cool throughout with no thin liquid pooling around it.

   

4. 04 · Line the tin with the larger pastry portion and fill

   25–30 min

   Use: Flour for rolling

   Use a 23 cm metal pie tin about 4.5 cm deep. Lightly flour the worktop and roll the larger pastry disc to about 32 cm across and 3 mm thick. Ease it into the tin without stretching, letting it settle into the corners. Leave about 1 cm pastry overhanging the rim. Add all the cold filling and level it into a shallow mound, keeping the pastry rim clean.

   Ready when: The pastry has no holes and the filling fits below the rim at the sides, with only a small central mound.

   

5. 05 · Seal with the smaller portion, vent and chill

   40–45 min

   Use: Flour for rolling; Beaten egg for brushing

   Roll the smaller pastry disc to about 27 cm across and 3 mm thick. Brush the base rim lightly with some finishing egg, lay the lid over the fruit and trim to a matching 1 cm overhang. Fold both overhangs under together and pinch to seal. Cut five small steam vents near the centre. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. During that time, heat the oven to 220°C conventional with a sturdy baking sheet on the lower-third rack. Keep unused pastry trimmings separate.

   Ready when: The pie has a sealed cold double crust, small vents and no filling trapped in the rim.

   

6. 06 · Bake at 220°C, then reduce to 190°C

   55–65 min

   Use: Beaten egg for brushing; Caster sugar for the lid

   Brush the lid lightly with the remaining finishing egg and scatter over the 10 g topping sugar. Put the pie tin on the hot baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven to 190°C conventional and bake for 35–45 minutes more. Shield the rim with foil if it browns early.

   Ready when: The top and visible edges of the base are deeply golden and dry; thick filling bubbles steadily through the vents. A thin knife through a vent meets tender fruit.

   

7. 07 · Cool for at least three hours

   180 min

   Use:

   Put the tin on a rack and cool for at least 3 hours before slicing. The filling needs this time to thicken as it loses heat.

   Ready when: The pastry is set and the filling no longer flows like hot sauce when the pie is gently moved.

   

8. 08 · Cook, strain and cool the sauce while the pie cools

   20–30 min

   Use: Raspberries; Caster sugar for the sauce; Water for the sauce

   While the baked pie cools, put the raspberries, 20 g sauce sugar and 10 g sauce water in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring, until the berries collapse, then simmer for 2 minutes. Press through a fine sieve into a bowl and discard the seeds. Cool, then refrigerate until serving. Divide the finished sauce between the eight portions rather than assuming a fixed strained yield.

   Ready when: The sauce is smooth, cool and separate from the pie filling.

   

9. 09 · Cut eight portions and serve with cold raspberry sauce

   3–5 min

   Use:

   Cut the cooled pie into eight portions with a sharp knife. Spoon the cold raspberry sauce beside each portion.

   Ready when: The filling holds inside each slice; some soft fruit may settle at the cut edge.