Blackforest Pie

Almost everybody I know loves blackforest, the tart cherries and the rich chocolate flavour with the light cream make it irresistible. So I wanted to make it into a pie and it was by far one of the best ideas I've ever had. I made a chocolate crust, a creamy and light chocolate filling topped with a generous layer of cherries. This pie was finished in one day, almost inhaled.

The ingredients to make this rich chocolate crust are:

• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar (caster or granulated will work)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 5tbs cold water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 140g cold butter, cubed

To make the crust put the flour, sugar, cocoa powder and salt into a food processor and pulse it just to combine. Then you can put the butter in and pulse it until the mixture looks like course breadcrumbs. Add the water in 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough is just coming together. Put it out onto a floured surface and shape it into a disc. Put this disc into the fridge for 1hour.

*If you cannot access a food processor you can put the ingredients in a bowl and hand mix everything.

Take the chilled dough out onto a floured surface and roll it out to fit a greased pie tin of your choice, gently put it into the tin. If you want to crimp the edges like I did, leave the excess and fold it over to create a wall like edge. then using your pointer finger, middle finger and thumb push to create deep indents . Cover the inside of the pie with scrunched up parchment and fill with beans or rice. Bling bake for 15 mins at 180c and bake for another 35minutes without the beans. Take it out of the oven and allow it to cool.

*An easy way to get the dough into the tin is to roll it onto your rolling pin and roll it back onto the tin. Before baking the crust poke little holes in the bottom of the crust these are to let the air out.

The ingredients you will need to make the chocolate filling are:

• 500ml heavy cream
• 2 eggs
• 80g dark cooking chocolate
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 50g castor sugar
• 50g softened butter

To make the chocolate filling put the eggs, vanilla and sugar in a small pot and whisk constantly on the heat, until they coat the back of a spoon. Then whisk in the melted chocolate and set aside to cool. In a separate bowl beat the butter until it is light and fluffy and gradually add in the chocolate mixture. Beat again until light and fluffy. In a second bowl whip your cream. Add the whipped cream to the chocolate and butter mixture and fold in gently. Leave the chocolate filling in the fridge to cool.

To make the cherry filling you will need:

• 1 670g jar of Morello pitted cherries
• 4tbs cornstarch
• 2tbs water

To make the cherry topping, put the jar of cherries into a small pot. In a small bowl mix the water and the cornstarch. Add the cornstarch mix to the cherries and bring to a boil, let the cherries thicken up this will take about 5-10 minutes. When

It is finally time to assemble the pie. Fill the cooled pie crust with the chocolate filling and put it in the fridge for 10 minutes to settle then top with the cherry topping and place the pie in the fridge to cool completely and let the cherry topping set. You can add some whipped cream or grated chocolate to the top to add the iconic blackforest look. Enjoy this delicious pie!!