Pie to die for

Xmas spread is incomplete without the aroma of fresh pies wafting out from the oven. City chefs share some quick recipes of sweet and savoury pies

Mince pie

Ingredients

For fillings Red currant 450 gm Raisins 225 gm Sultanas 225 gm Black currant 125 gm Apple, cubed 275 gm Butter 220 gm Brown sugar 185 gm Mixed spices 5 gm Cinnamon powder 5 gm Brandy 125 ml Lemon peel 125 gm Orange peel 125 gm Orange juice 120 ml For the pie dough Soft unsalted butter 500 gm Icing sugar 250 gm Eggs 5 Flour 1 kg

Method Whip soft butter and icing sugar in a bowl to make cream. Slowly add eggs, one by one.

Add flour fold into the mixture, don’t over mix. Place the dough into the chiller to set.

Take a plastic bowl and pour all the dry fruits, add orange juice, apple cubes and spices and mix. Add brown sugar and melted butter to the mixture.

Pour brandy in the end. Keep the mixture in an airtight container over night at room temperature.

Line the dough in a pie mould, add 1 tbsp of mincemeat mixture into each mould. Brush the edges of each pie with a slightly beaten egg. Re-roll the pastry out and cut 7 cm lids to place on top of the mould and press them on top to seal. Glaze the mould with rest of the beaten egg, sprinkle caster sugar, then make a small cut on the top. You may garnish with another cut of star on top of the pie.

Bake pies at 180°C for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Cool before releasing them from the muffin trays and dust with icing sugar. Serve.

Recipe courtesy: chef Sukanta Das, Tamra by Shangri-La's - Eros Hotel

Apple pie

Ingredients

For short crust pastry

Refined flour 2 cups

Cubed butter 100 gm

Cold water 1 cup

Salt to taste Method

Put flour and salt in a large bowl and add butter. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until you have a mixture that resembles coarse breadcrumbs with no large lumps of butter remaining. Using a knife, stir in just enough of cold water to bind the dough together. Wrap the dough and chill for 10-15 minutes before using. For apple pie

Granny smith apple, diced 8 Unsalted butter cup Grain sugar cup Brown sugar cup Hand full of raisins Cinnamon powder 1 tsp Short crust pastry Method

Preheat the oven at 220°C. Place a pan on medium flame and melt butter. Add apples and sauté well.

Add grain sugar and brown sugar and cook the entire mixture. Add cinnamon powder and raisins. Allow it to cool down.

Take pie moulds and line them with short crust pastry. Put the mixture in the moulds and cover with strips of the pastry. Cook in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, till the crust gets golden.

Recipe courtesy: chef Pawan Bisht, Junglee Billee

Chocolate marquise pie

Ingredients

Bittersweet chocolate 70 gm

Heavy cream 2 cups

Butter 2 cups

Sweet cream butter

Unsweetened cocoa powder 1 cup

Egg yolks 6

Coffee granules cup

Water 2 tbsp

White sugar 2/3 cup

Method

In a microwave, melt chocolate and stir until smooth. Cream together butter and cocoa powder. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and dissolve instant coffee in water. Mix dissolved coffee and sugar with egg yolks until smooth. Slowly beat in slightly cooled chocolate. Add cocoa mixture. Whip the cream until stiff peaks form and fold into the chocolate mixture. Serve when cold. Spoon this mixture in a pie mould and heat. Serve hot.

Recipe courtesy: : chef Vijayant Rawat, Mosaic Hotels Cherry berry pie

Ingredients Sweet paste base Refined flour 300 gm Butter 200 gm Egg 1 Sugar 100 gm Lemon zest Cherry filling Butter 100 gm Sugar 100 gm Eggs 2 Cherry 100 gm Rum 30 ml Five spices 5 gm Almond flakes 20 gm Flour 100 gm

Filling

Mix all the ingredients and bake in an oven 180°C for 25-30 minutes. Garnish with almond flakes and cherry compote. Method

Sift the flour. Mix cream, butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix at low speed in a mixer.

Fold in the refined flour and add lemon zest.

Spoon the mixture into the shape mould and bake in an oven for 25-30 minutes at 180°C. Check until a skewer comes out clean.

Recipe courtesy: chef Rahis Khan, The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa

Homemade pineapple pie

Ingredients Milk for brushing on top Sugar 1 tsp For filling: Pineapple, pureed 2 cup Lemon juice 1 tsp Cornflour 2tbsp Pineapple, finely chopped 1 cup chopped Pineapple essence 1/2 tsp Sugar 3/4 cup or more Water 2 tbsp

Method

Preheat the oven at 200°C. Butter a pie dish and set aside. l In a pan, add pineapple puree, pineapple chunks and sugar. Cook for 5 minutes. Add cornflour mixed with water and stir well. Add in pineapple essence and lemon juice. Mix till it becomes a thick jam. Set aside.

Take the pastry and divide it into two equal portions. Roll in round shapes by placing between two plastic sheets, and place in buttered pie crust. Press them. Remove the plastic wrap and spoon the filling inside the two halves. Make some nice shapes with the leftover pastry. Brush the top with milk and sprinkle sugar on top. Bake this for 30 minutes at 200°C. Reduce the temperature to 180°C and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Brush it with honey before serving.

Recipe courtesy: Nidhi Swaroop, home baker