Blackberry and Cherry Pie

Ingredients
Shortcrust pastry:
375g plain flour
210g unsalted cold butter
3 egg yolks
About 5-6 tbsp water
Pie filling:
650g fresh dark sweet cherries
150g blackberries
130g caster sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tbsp cornflour
Method
Pastry:
- Place the flour and very cold cubed butter in a bowl, and using your (preferably cold!) hands rub the butter into the flour until it forms the consistency of breadcrumbs. There should be no large lumps. Work quickly, you do not want the butter to soften too much or melt at this stage.
- Then, mix the egg and half the water and slowly add, quickly mixing it in.
- Slowly add the remaining water, you may not need it all, just keep adding and mixing until it comes together in a nice ball. You don't want the dough to be too sticky!
- Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for around half an hour.
- Meanwhile, make the filling!
Filling:
- After halving and removing the seeds from the cherries (yes this does take ages with 650g cherries!), add to a saucepan with the blackberries and the sugar, and lemon juice.
- Let simmer on a medium heat for around 10 minutes, until the cherries are soft.
- At this stage, drain some of the syrup away as the filling is very wet (no soggy bottoms please!) then add the vanilla.
- Once slightly cooled, add the cornflour. This will help the mixture thicken up, but don't add too much or it will be very dry!
To make the pie:
- First of all, blind bake the pastry case. I lined a heart shaped dish, but you can use any shape (around 9 inch). Bake at 180C fan with baking beans for around 12-15 minutes. Remove baking beans then bake for another 5 minutes.
- Add the pie filling, distributing it evenly.
- If you then want to add some decoration for the pie, make some plaits and strips with leftover pastry, creating a lattice effect, and a plaited border. You can also use any cutters you have to decorate this!
- Lightly brush the pastry with an egg wash.
- Place the pie back in the oven at 180C and baked for around 20-25 minutes. You want the top pastry you have just added to have turned golden brown, and the filling to be bubbling slightly.
- It is best served warm! Add ice cream or cream.
- Enjoy!