Mixed Berry Lattice Pie

If you're looking for a dessert that is guaranteed to impress your guests, then a lattice pie is certainly a showstopper, in my eyes. You can make this ahead of time and pop it in the oven to warm through. This pie is filled with a juicy, bubbling mixed berry fruit filling!

Shortcrust pastry:

• 175g plain flour

• 90g unsalted butter, cubed and cold

• 2-3 tbsp cold water

Mixed berry filling:

• 600g mixed berries - fresh or frozen. If using frozen, thaw well

• 45g cornflour

• 130g caster sugar

• 1 egg

• Streusel topping - a mix of light brown sugar, chopped walnuts and 1 tsp of cinnamon

Method:

We will start by making the shortcrust pastry:

• Either in a food processor or large bowl, add the flour and butter and blitz/rub with your fingers and thumbs until it resembles fine breadcrumbs

• Then mix in your water, a tablespoon at a time, until a dough starts to form

• Once your dough starts to come together, knead for a couple of minutes to form a smooth bowl - be careful to not knead for too long otherwise your pastry will become tough and has the tendency to crack or shrink when baking

• Divide your pastry into two discs, one slightly larger than the other, and wrap them in cling film and leave to chill in the fridge, for at least 30 minutes

When the pastry is halfway through chilling, preheat the oven to 180ºC

• Remove the larger chilled pastry disc from the fridge and roll to fit a 23cm pie tin and 3mm thin. Leave the small amount of excess pastry overhanging the top

• To blind bake, press some foil or baking paper into the pastry tin and fill with baking beans, dried pasta or rice works just the same

• Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, then remove the baking beans and lining and bake for a further 5 minutes

Whilst the pastry is blind baking, it's now time to prepare the filling and lattice top:

• In a large bowl, add the fruit, cornflour and caster sugar and mix until incorporated

• Leave to one side until ready to use

• Roll out the other pastry disc, making sure it is at least 23cm long. Then cut out 14, ¼ inch wide strips

Now, it should be time to assemble the pie

• Spread the fruit mixture into the pie base

• Arrange and weave the pastry strips in a lattice pattern on top of the pie - see the steps and pictures below if you need lattice weaving tips

• Beat your egg with a dash of milk and brush it all over the pastry

• Sprinkle the top with your streusel topping and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes

• Remove the pie from the oven, sprinkle with extra sugar and leave to set for at least 3 hours before serving

Cut into slices and serve with ice cream, if you like.

Tips for creating a lattice effect:

1. Add pastry strips horizontally to your pie, as seen in the pictures above

2. Pull back every other strip and place a pastry strip vertically, starting at one end, as seen in the pictures above

3. Then fold back the horizontal pastry trips

4. Then start step two again, but pull back the horizontal pastry strips, that you didn't move previously

5. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you have added the pastry strips across the whole pie