Name: Cherry lattice pie with almond-milk ice
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 130 min
Yield: 6 - 8
Ingredients: 1.2 kg cherries, pitted; 600 gm frozen sour cherries, defrosted (see note); 200 gm caster sugar; 60 gm almond meal; 35 gm cornflour; 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped; Finely grated rind of ½ lemon; 10 gm butter, coarsely chopped; 1 egg lightly beaten with 1 tbsp milk, for eggwash; For scattering: demerara sugar; Almond-milk ice; 750 ml almond milk (see note) (3 cups); 55 gm raw caster sugar (¼ cup); 1 tbsp honey; 1 cinnamon quill; 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped; Finely grated rind of 1 orange; Splash brandy (optional); Cinnamon pastry; 350 gm plain flour (2 cups); 225 gm chilled butter, coarsely chopped; 1 tbsp caster sugar, plus extra to garnish; ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Cherry lattice pie with almond-milk ice

There's nothing as sweet as a cherry pie.

Serves 6 - 8

Prep

Cook

1H 10M

Total

2H 10M

This pie is best served at room temperature, ensuring the cherry filling has a lovely jammy texture. Use good unsweetened almond milk for the ice.

Ingredients

1.2 kg cherries, pitted

600 gm frozen sour cherries, defrosted (see note)

200 gm caster sugar

60 gm almond meal

35 gm cornflour

1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped

Finely grated rind of ½ lemon

10 gm butter, coarsely chopped

1 egg lightly beaten with 1 tbsp milk, for eggwash

For scattering: demerara sugar

Almond-milk ice

750 ml almond milk (see note) (3 cups)

55 gm raw caster sugar (¼ cup)

1 tbsp honey

1 cinnamon quill

1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped

Finely grated rind of 1 orange

Splash brandy (optional)

Cinnamon pastry

350 gm plain flour (2 cups)

225 gm chilled butter, coarsely chopped

1 tbsp caster sugar, plus extra to garnish

½ tsp ground cinnamon

Method

Main

1.For almond-milk ice, stir ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat to dissolve sugar and honey, then set aside to cool. Pour into a tray and freeze, scraping with a fork every 30 minutes to form ice crystals, until mixture is completely frozen. Just before serving, scrape with a fork again to loosen the ice crystals.

2.For cinnamon pastry, pulse flour, butter, sugar, cinnamon and a large pinch of salt in a food processor until half combined. Add 80ml iced water and process until pastry just comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and bring together. Divide in half, form into discs, wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate to rest (2 hours).

3.Meanwhile, combine fresh and frozen cherries, sugar, almond meal, cornflour, vanilla bean and seeds, and rind in a bowl, and toss to combine.

4.Preheat oven to 180C. Roll out one half of pastry on a lightly floured surface to 5mm thick and line a 24cm pie dish and trim edges. Roll out remaining pastry to 5mm thick and cut into 2cm-wide strips. Transfer cherry mixture to pastry case and weave pastry strips on top to create a lattice pattern. Brush with eggwash, scatter with sugar, and bake until golden and cooked through (1-1¼ hours). Cool to room temperature and serve with almond-milk ice.

Frozen sour cherries are available from supermarkets and select delicatessens. Almond milk is available from supermarkets and health-food shops.

Drink suggestion by Max Allen: A sparkling Italian brachetto.
Notes