the Lost Orchard Shortcake

200g butter, softened
200g caster sugar
4 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
400g plain flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
80g caster sugar, extra
4 medium sized cooking apples, peeled & cored (I made this quantity up with the apples I collected)
200g blackberries - fresh only (I used my Keriberries and a few strawberries from the patch)
Grated zest from 1 lemon
50g butter, extra
Caster sugar for sprinkling

Butter and sugar a 24cm pie tin.  Cream the first butter & sugar, add eggs one at a time and beat until creamed.  Add vanilla and beat until combined.  Sift flour with baking powder and add to butter mixture, stirring until just combined.  Cover and place in fridge for 1 hour.

Heat oven to 190c.  Roll 2/3 of the dough between gladwrap sheets or baking paper and line bottom and sides of the pie tin.

Roll out the remaining dough, wrap in gladwrap and leave in fridge until ready to assemble. Cut the apples into fat slices, mix with the extra sugar, blackberries and lemon zest and fill pie tin.  Dot with extra butter and then top with the reserved dough.  Press the edges to seal, cut a slit into the top, and sprinkle top with a little of caster sugar.

Bake in the middle of the oven for about 30 - 40 mins.  Test with skewer, cool and enjoy!

Print