Pie maker delights!

Your favourite kitchen appliance of the year is making Christmas even merrier!

CHERRY LATTICE PIES

MAKES 4 PREP 15 MINS COOK 10 MINS

2 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed

415g can pitted black cherries in syrup

¾ cup cherry jam

2 tbsp caster sugar

1 tbsp cornflour

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg, beaten lightly

1 Line an oven tray with baking paper. Place a sheet of shortcrust pastry on a floured work surface, cut into 1cm-wide strips. Weave pastry strips into a lattice pattern, place on tray, freeze 5 mins.

2 Meanwhile, drain the cherries through a fine sieve, pressing down with the back of a spoon to extract as much syrup as possible. Discard syrup. Combine cherries, jam, sugar, cornflour and vanilla in a medium bowl. (Makes 1¾ cups.)

3 Lightly grease a 4-hole (¾-cup) pie maker.

4 Using pastry cutters provided, cut 4 x 11cm large rounds from the remaining sheet of shortcrust pastry and 4 x 9.5cm rounds from the lattice sheet. With the pie maker turned off, line prepared holes with large shortcrust pastry rounds, pressing into base and side.

5 Spoon ¾ cup cherry mixture into pie cases. Top with shortcrust lattice rounds, pressing edges firmly to seal. Brush lattice with egg. Turn pie maker on. Close lid, cook 8 mins or until golden. Remove pies, transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.