Mini Cherry Pies

These bite-sized pies, made with buttery crumbly pastry, will melt in your mouth. They are delicious served still hot from the oven, eaten as they are or served with a drizzle of custard or spoonful of vanilla ice-cream. A perfect summer treat, they make a delightful breakfast, brunch, lunch or dessert!

What you’ll need

For Shortcrust Pastry:

• 300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 180g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
• 3/4 tsp Sugar
• one pinch of salt
• approx 150g ice cold water

For Mini Cherry Pies:

• Butter for greasing
• 350g cherries, stoned and half
• 2 tsps cornflour
• 3 tbsps caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• Shortcrust pastry
• Plain flour, for dusting
• Eggwash

How to make it

For Shortcrust Pastry:

• Using a food processor, pulse butter flour, sugar and salt until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add water, a little at a time, and mix until a smooth dough is formed.
• Place dough on a floured surface and knead lightly. Leave to rest in the fridge overnight.

For Mini Cherry Pies:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 deg C/350 deg F. Lightly grease a 4×6 section mini muffin tins.
2. Stir stoned cherries with cornflour, sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon.
3. Roll half the pastry out thinly on a lightly-floured surface. Using a fluted cookie cutter, stamp out 24 circles. Press gently into prepared tins, rerolling the trimmings as needed.
4. Brush the top edges of the pie cases with a little of the egg glaze, then spoon in the filling.
5. Roll the reserved pastry out thinly on a lightly-floured surface, then stamp out desired shapes and arrange over the pies. Brush with eggwash.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden.Leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then loosen with a round-bladed knife and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
7. Serve warm, or cold, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, custard or vanilla ice-cream.