Prune Pie Katrinplommonpaj Food

FREE-FORM FRESH PRUNE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180 deg Celsius. Line a pizza tray (or flat tray) with baking paper.
• On a floured surface place the pastry sheets on top of each other, then roll to a 36cm circle. Trim edges if needed. Lay over pizza tray - there should be a 6cm overhang.
• Sprinkle pastry with the ground almonds.
• Wash prunes then de-seed and slice thickly. Add flour and cinnamon to sliced prunes and combine.
• Pile the prune mix onto the pastry, leaving the overhang free. Fold the 6cm edge over the fruit, pleating where needed. This will only partially cover the prunes.
• Brush the pastry with the milk then sprinkle with the sugar.
• Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until prunes have softened and pastry is golden and crisp.
• Serve warm, or cold, with rich cream.

PRUNE PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix together flour, baking powder, salt and 1 cup of sugar.
• Cut in the shortening until the mixture is crumbly.
• Add enough cold water to make a soft dough.
• Knead slightly and cut in half.
• Roll out dough, 1/4 inch thick, and line cookie sheet with one. Save the other.
• Cook prunes in water until soft. Drain.
• Mash well, adding 2 cups of sugar (to taste, you may not need it all).
• Season with cinnamon and cloves.
• Spread filling evenly over bottom crust.
• Cover with top crust pinch seams and cut steam vents.
• Bake until crust is slightly brown.

BRANDIED PEAR, PRUNE AND FIG PIE

Steps:

• For Crust: Blend flour, sugar and salt in processor. Using on/off turns, cut in butter and cream cheese until coarse meal forms. With machine running, pour just enough water down feed tube to form moist clumps. Gather dough into ball. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour. (Can be made 2 days ahead.)
• For Filling: Mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt in large bowl. Mix in pears, prunes and figs. Sprinkle brandy over and mix well. Let stand 15 minutes to allow juices to form.
• Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 400° F. Roll out 1 dough disk on lightly floured surface to 14-inch-diameter round. Transfer to 10-inch-diameter glass pie dish; gently press dough into place. Spoon filling into crust, mounding slightly in center. Roll out second dough disk on lightly floured surface to 14-inch-diameter round. Drape dough over filling. Trim dough overhang to 1/2 inch. Press edges together to seal and fold under. Crimp edge decoratively. Brush top of crust (but not edge) with glaze. Cut several small slits in crust to allow steam to escape.
• Bake pie until crust is golden brown and pears are tender when pierced through steam vents, about 50 minutes. Cool slightly and serve.

PRUNE WHIP PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Rub prunes through a strainer; add 1/2 cup sugar and heat again to boiling until sugar is dissolved.
• Add salt, lemon juice and rind.
• Beat egg whites until nearly stiff; gradually add remaining sugar and continue to beat until stiff enough to hold it's shape.
• Fold in prune pulp, pour into pie shell and bake for about 30 minutes or until set.

FRANGIPANE-PRUNE TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375. In a bowl, pour the hot tea over the halved prunes, and let the fruit rehydrate while you make the almond filling.
• Put almonds, sugar and salt in a food processor, and pulse just until ground (be careful not to overprocess, or the filling will become a hard paste). Add the butter, eggs, brandy and almond essence, if using, and pulse just until smooth.
• Drain prunes well, pressing out any excess liquid with your hands, and place in the tart shell, more or less in an even layer. Spoon on the almond mixture, smoothing it with the back of the spoon, then sprinkle over remaining sliced almonds. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is a nice golden brown. Dust with icing sugar, and let cool before serving.