Ease of preparation: Complex
Yield: 1 pie
Ingredients:
Pie crust
2 ½ cups (600 ml) flour
1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
1 tablespoon (15 ml) sugar
½ cup (120 ml) cold unsalted butter, cubed
½ cup (120 ml) cold vegetable shortening
4 tablespoons (60 ml) cold vodka
8 tablespoons (120 ml) cold water
1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
Filling
4 5 green cardamom pods
1/3 cup (80 ml) + 2 teaspoons (10 ml) sugar
3 pounds (1.4 kg) black plums
1/3 cup (80 ml) brown sugar
2 sprigs rosemary
4 tablespoons (60 ml) cornstarch
3 ½ tablespoons (52.5 ml) water
Special Equipment
Pastry cutter
3 flower shape cookie cutters (in 3 different sizes)
Method:
Let’s get baking!
To make the pie crust, sift together flour, salt, and sugar. Using a pastry cutter – not your fingers – cut in butter and shortening. Gradually add vodka, stirring to incorporate. Gradually add water, stirring to incorporate.
Divide dough into two pieces. Flatten and cover with plastic wrap. Chill for 2 hours to overnight.
To make the filling, remove seeds from cardamom pods and discard pods. Put seeds on a cutting board. Add 2 teaspoons (10 ml) sugar. Roll a rolling pin back and forth over seeds to crush them.
Pit each plum and slice into thin slices. Add to a Dutch oven or tall-sided pot. Add brown sugar and remaining sugar and heat over low. Add rosemary sprigs. Let simmer 5 minutes, stirring, until sugar dissolves and plums have softened.
In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water.
Remove rosemary sprig from pot. Pour in cornstarch mixture and stir in. Cook for 2-3 minutes until mixture slightly thickens.
Remove from heat. Stir in crushed cardamom seeds. Let cool.
To finish, remove one portion of the dough from fridge and unwrap. Roll one disc out to fit a 9-inch (22 cm) pie plate. Let sit 10 minutes.
Fit into pie plate. Trim to the edge. Squeeze the edges to make ripples. Put in the fridge.
Remove second portion of dough from fridge and unwrap. Roll out. Cut out flowers with flower shape cookie cutters in three different sizes.
Remove pie plate from the fridge. Pour in cooled filling. Gently place the dough flowers on top of the filling, overlapping each other and covering filling. Brush with egg wash.
Bake for 20 minutes at 375 F (190 C).
Lower temperature to 300 F (150 C) and bake for another 30-40 minutes or until filling is bubbling slightly.
Remove and let cool.
You might also like these recipes
More Recipes
