As baking is one of my favourite hobbies, I’m constantly looking and searching for new and simple recipes to make. During the summer months, I enjoy having some extra time to bake and cook which I really like. The majority of the time I bake bread, muffins or cakes for my family as a treat. I’m definitely someone who has a sweet tooth and I love chocolate muffins and creamy cakes…who doesn’t!

I recently found an old baking book full of recipes for mini tartlets and as it’s summer, I decided to try the ‘Summer Fruit Pie’ recipe (which is written below). In my kitchen garden at the moment, I have raspberries, redcurrants and strawberries growing, which are the fruits used for this recipe. I took some pictures of me picking my fruit for the pies and some which were still ripening at the time. Sometimes I feel when you use fruit from your own garden you feel that little bit more proud of the cakes you’ve made. Plus it’s nice to learn how to grow fruit and help them along with a bit of TLC. This recipe is really simple and easy for when you want something tasty and bite-size and is perfect for summer gatherings.

Hope you enjoy! Happy baking! 🌞

The Summer Fruit Pie Recipe

Ingredients…

• a little butter for greasing
• 350grams mixed strawberries, raspberries and redcurrants
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 3 tbsp caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• grated rind of ½ lemon
• 450grams of Shortcrust pastry or a ready-made version
• a little plain flour for dusting
• 1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tbsp water to glaze
• whipped cream, to serve

The Method…

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºC. Lightly grease a mini muffin tin.
2. Roughly chop the strawberries and break up large raspberries. Put all the fruit in a mixing bowl and stir in the cornflour, sugar and lemon rind.
3. Roll the pastry out thinly on a lightly floured surface. Using a fluted cookie cutter, stamp out 24 circles, each 6cm/2½ inches in diameter. Press these gently into the prepared tins, rerolling the trimmings as needed. Reserve some of the trimmings for decoration.
4. Brush the top edged of the pie cases with a little of the egg glaze, then spoon in the filling.
5. Roll the pastry out thinly on a lightly floured surface. Cut any shape from the pastry you would like and place on the top of your pies. I went for flowers. Brush egg glaze over the pastry and sprinkle with a little sugar.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden. Leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then loosen with a round-bladed knife and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream.