Apple & Blackberry Pie

Apple & Blackberry Pie

We are fortunate to have an abundance of wild fruit growing where we live. One of the most prolific being Blackberries. We’ve almost watched and wish them grow on a daily basis. Being city types, neither of us had much idea of when to pick these glorious looking berries. Ok, when they’re ripe, but apparently, the locals inform us that we should have picked them probably a week earlier than we did. Never mind, they were still delicious. So, armed with a tupperware container we picked as many ripe Blackberries as we could find on just over a mile long walk.

Apple & Blackberry Pie

A delicious pie made from handpicked Blackberries growing wild and Bramley cooking apples.

  • 3 Cooking Apples (Bramley)
  • 225 g Blackberries
  • 75 g Sugar
  • 175 g Plain Flour (For The Pastry)
  • Pinch Salt (For The Pastry)
  • 80 g Butter (For The Pastry)

Start by making the pastry: sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl, holding the sieve up as high as possible to give the flour an airing. Then cut the fat into small cubes and add to the flour.

Using your fingers, lightly and gently rub the butter into the flour – being as quick as possible. When the mixture looks uniformly crumbly, start to sprinkle roughly 2 tablespoons of cold water all over. Use a round-bladed knife to start the mixing, cutting and bringing the mixture together. Carefully add more water if needed, a little at a time, then finally bring the mixture together with your hands to form a smooth ball of dough that will leave the bowl clean (if there are any bits that won’t adhere to it, you need a spot more water).

Now rest the pastry, wrapped in foil or polythene, in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes while you peel, core and slice the apples straight into the pie dish. Then sprinkle in the brambles or blackberries and the sugar. Now roll out the pastry to about 1 in (2.5 cm) larger than the pie dish, then cut out a 1 in (2.5 cm) strip to fit the edge of the dish. Dampen the edge with water, then fit on the strip of pastry, pressing it firmly, and dampen that too.

Then press the rest of the pastry over that to form a lid and, using a sharp knife, trim any excess pastry off. Use the blunt side of the knife and your thumb to press the two edges firmly together and knock the edges all round to give a layered effect. Then flute the edges by using your thumb to make an impression and the broad blade of the knife to draw in the edges of the pastry.

Make a steam hole in the centre and, if you have time, make some decorative leaves with the pastry trimmings.

Brush the pastry with milk and sprinkle on a light dusting of caster sugar. Place the pie on a baking sheet on a high shelf and bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to gas mark 5, 375°F (190°C), and continue baking for a further 30 minutes. Then, using a skewer, take out a piece of apple from the centre to test if it’s cooked: if it still feels very firm, give it another 5 minutes.

Serve hot with chilled pouring cream to mingle with the juices.

ADDITIONAL
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 7, 425°F (220°C).

EQUIPMENT
You will also need a 1½ pint (850 ml) rimmed pie dish.

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14 Comments
  • Sue W
    September 17, 2018

    I love Apple and blackberry pie. We had a pie last week from berries picked from over the lane. Woody the Beagle enjoys dodging brambles to steal the bottom berries. Tonight the son came home carrying a supermarket tray of blackberries! I was gob smacked and told him to walk to the top of the drive and start picking his own!

    • admin
      September 17, 2018

      Thank you, Sue. Ha, I bet your son was shocked. Hopefully, we shall be collecting more tomorrow.

  • Hope
    September 17, 2018

    I’ll be right over with whipped cream. Yummy! ????

    • admin
      September 18, 2018

      You’re welcome, Hope. 🙂

  • Dave Kingsbury
    September 19, 2018

    Scrum-diddly-umptious … and free!

    • admin
      September 19, 2018

      Thanks, Dave and that is the best thing, most of it is free and in abundance ????

  • Amanda Ricks
    September 21, 2018

    I love apple pie and blackberries so this sounds delish. But I admit I would never manage the pastry, I’m a dud in the kitchen so I’ll have to use a premade one or get my daughter to make the crust.

    • admin
      September 21, 2018

      Thank you, Amanda. Ask your daughter to make all of it for you then enjoy. 🙂

  • luisa zambrotta
    November 13, 2018

    It looks delicious!
    I’ll try it

    • admin
      November 13, 2018

      Thank you, Luisa, I hope you enjoy it 🙂

  • Sean Crawley
    April 4, 2019

    Wild blackberries, yumbo!

    • admin
      April 4, 2019

      Yep, you can’t get any fresher.

  • June Lorraine Roberts
    December 23, 2019

    Have never made this combination of fruit before – Thanks!

    • admin
      December 23, 2019

      Thank you, June, hope you enjoy it ????????