Pies and Tarts Dessert Recipes - Glazed Pear Pie Recipe

Ingredients

• 225 g/8 oz/l2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour

• A pinch of salt

• 100 g/4 oz/1/2 cup hard block margarine, diced

• Cold water, to mix

• 15 g/1/2 oz/1 tbsp butter

• Demerara sugar

• 750 g/1 1/2 lb pears, thinly sliced

• Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

• Caster (superfine) sugar, to taste

• Crème fraiche, to serve

---

Method:

1. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Add the margarine and rub in with the fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2. Mix with enough cold water to form a firm dough. Knead gently on a lightly floured surface.

3. Use the butter to grease a 20 cm/8 in fairly deep pie dish. Sprinkle liberally with demerara sugar.

4. Roll out about two-thirds of the pastry (paste) and use to line the dish. Fill with the pear slices, sprinkling with the lemon rind and juice and caster sugar to taste.

5. Roll out the remaining pastry and use as a lid. Press the edges well together to seal and knock up with the back of a knife.

6. Place on a baking (cookie) sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7 for about 20 minutes until the pastry is browned, then reduce the heat to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 and continue cooking for a further 20-30 minutes.

7. Loosen the edge and turn out on to a serving plate so the glazed base is uppermost. Serve warm with crème fraiche.