Ingredients

• 1 lb pears, poached or canned, drained
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 T rum
• 16 oz  phyllo dough
• 3  T unsalted butter, melted

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Cut pears into cubes and mix with cinnamon and raisins.
3. Heat honey in a pan. Stir in the pears. Simmer until reduced 1/3.
4. Add rum. Remove from heat. Cool and refrigerate.
5. Heat the butter.
6. Place 3 layers of dough on a clean surface, using a pastry brush to wipe each with butter.
7. Cut off a large square. Cover the remaining dough with a damp cloth to prevent it drying.
8. Place a small scoop of pears in the centre of the phyllo square.
9. Fold the corners of the pastry together and pinch shut.
10. Brush with butter.
11. Bake for 5-7 minutes.

Key lime pie is easy with this recipe.

You will need a large bowl and a mixer. Note that the filling goes in a pastry shell that has already been baked. Create a different texture and flavour by using a graham pie shell instead of a pastry pie shell. Still good.

Ingredients

• 2 cans sweetened condensed milk (28 oz)
• 2 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup key lime juice
• 1/2 cup whipped cream
• pre-baked pie shell

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Combine milk and yolks. Beat to frothy.
3. Gradually add the lime juice.
4. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Do not let it brown.
5. Cool until ready to place in fridge.
6. Refrigerate for 2 or more hours.
7. Garnish with whipped cream

Pastry is a matter of choice and there are a variety of pastry shells available including frozen options. Here we present a filling for a 2 crust pie.

Ingredients

• 3-1/2 cup blueberries, washed and patted dry
• 3/4 cup sugar
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cardamon
• 1 small tart apple, peeled and grated
• 1-1/2 T tapioca or cornstarch

Steps

• In a medium bowl, combine the blueberries, sugar, lemon, spices and apple
• Add tapioca or cornstarch, and toss to cover the fruit.
• Let stand 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400F.
• Line a pie plate with pastry
• Pour in the fruit filling.
• Cover with a second layer of pastry. Turn under the extra pastry and crimp the edges together with a fork or your thumb.
• Cut steam vents into the top layer of the crust.
• Bake 20 – 30 minutes until golden brown.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 350F and let cook for 30 minutes
• Let cool 1-2 hours on a wire rack before serving so the juices and tapioca can form a syrupy custard.

This recipe makes enough pastry for a double crust pie. It is an excellent choice with fruit fillings.

You will need pie filling, a large bowl, fork or pastry blender, fork or whisk, measuring cup, space in the fridge to store the bowl.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups flour, sifted
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup cold lard, cut into pieces
• 1/4 cup ice cold water
• 3 T sour cream.

Steps

1. Stir together the flour and salt in a large bowl.
2. Use a fork or pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture becomes crumbly.
3. Pour the water and sour cream into a measuring cup and whisk them together.
4. Slowly drizzle the liquids into the flour, tossing all the while with a fork until the flour begins to stick together.
5. Divide the dough in half and form into balls. Flatten them. Cover with a cloth and store in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
6. One at time, place a flattened ball of pastry on a cold floured surface and roll out evenly.
7. Layer the first circle into the bottom of an ungreased 9 inch pie plate.
8. Fill with fruit filling.
9. Layer the second pastry circle over the top of the pie filling.
10. Tuck in the edges and crimp with a fork or your fingers to seal the edge.
11. Brush the surface lightly with egg or milk and sprinkle with a tsp of sugar.
12. Cut vents into the top layer of pastry to allow the steam to escape as the fruit cooks.
13. Bake for 30-40 minutes, depending on the filling.

You can replace the apples with any fruit or fruit combination that cooks well: berries, peaches, plums, apricots, and apples all work well. Since some fruits are sweeter than others, you may want to vary the amount of sugar you add.

You will need a pie plate, 2 bowls, a spoon, and a fork.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sugar (or to taste)
• 2 T cornstarch (to turn the liquids into a sauce as the pie cooks)
• 5 cups of fruit (about 8 apples)
• 1 prepared pie shell
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp allspice or cloves
• 1/2 cup butter, cut into small pieces

Steps

1. Heat oven to 375 F
2. In a large bowl mix the sugar and cornstarch.
3. Add the fruit and toss until coated
4. Pour fruit into the empty pie shell
5. In a medium sized bowl, combine the oats, flour, sugar and spices
6. Use a fork or pastry cutter to cut the butter into the dry ingredients, or use your fingers. The mixture will become crumbly. Work the ingredients until they form pea sized lumps or coarse crumbs
7. Top the fruit with the crumb mixture
8. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.

Serves 8

Apple pie is a standard that asks for a great crust, crisp apples, and a touch of sweetness. This recipe combines the basics, but feel free to experiment by adding raisins or almonds, a dash of nutmeg or pepper, using a crumble topping or drizzling it with a vanilla cream sauce. Using different types of sugar can make a difference too; try brown sugar, maple syrup or coarse demerera sugar to subtly change the flavour.

We’ve made it easy here by suggesting you use a pre-made frozen pie crust.

Ingredients

• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 cup  sugar (or to taste)
• 2 T cornstarch (to soak up the juices from the apples as they cook and create a sauce)
• 8 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• dash nutmeg
• 2 T butter, softened and cut into small pats
• 1 pie crust

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Line a pie plate with the prepared lower crust.
3. In a large bowl, scramble the egg yolk and add the sugar and cornstarch.
4. Add the berries and toss gently until the fruit is lightly covered with the batter
5. Pour the fruit into the pie crust
6. Sprinkle with the spices and pats of butter.
7. Cover with the second crust.
8. Crimp the edges shut and cut holes into the crust to release the steam that will be generated as the pie cooks.
9. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.

Tip: place a cookie sheet on the shelf below the pie. They tend to leak around the edges and the syrup really sticks to the oven.