Three classic autumnal shortcrust pastry pie recipes

It’s time to put the last of the season’s blackberry haul to use, along with all that seasonal apple and pumpkin – in a chunky pie

Apple and blackberry crumble pie

So the summer is over. Why not channel the lingering fruity energy into one of these pies...

Apple and blackberry crumble pie

Prep: 15 minutes + chilling
Cook: 70 minutes

Serves 8

500g pack Jus-Rol Shortcrust pastry

For the filling:

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
2-3 medium bramley apples
2 eating apples, such as cox
75g golden caster sugar
1½ tbsp plain flour
150g pack fresh blackberries

For the topping

75g spelt or wholemeal plain flour
75g butter, chilled and cut into cubes
75g mixed nuts, toasted
50g porridge oats
50g light brown muscovado sugar

Preheat the oven to 200C. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin. Line a 20cm (6cm-8cm deep) loose-bottomed or spring-form tin, allowing the edges of the pastry to overhang slightly. Scrunch a square of baking parchment and use to line the pastry case then fill with baking beans. Blind bake for 15 minutes, remove the paper and baking beans and bake for a further 4-5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.

Place the lemon zest and juice in a large bowl. Peel, core and thinly slice the apples and add to the bowl, turning them through the lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown. Drain and discard any liquid that collects at the bottom of the bowl. Sprinkle the sugar and flour over the top of the apples and gently toss to distribute evenly.

Layer half the apple slices into the baked pastry case. Scatter over the blackberries then top with the remaining apple slices.

To make the topping, place the flour in a bowl with the butter. Rub in the butter using the tips of your fingers until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Coarsely chop the toasted nuts and stir into the mixture with the oats and sugar. Sprinkle over the top of the apples, then bake for 45-50 minutes until golden and the apples are tender. Serve warm with the blackberry and apple juices from the pie, and cream or custard.

Sticky pecan, maple syrup and star anise tart

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes

Serves 8

½ x 430g all butter shortcrust pastry (1 sheet), thawed
100g Canadian maple syrup
3-4 whole star anise
100g butter
200g light brown muscovado sugar
3 medium Waitrose British blacktail free range eggs
200g pecan nut halves

Vanilla ice cream, to serve. Preheat the oven to 180C and place a baking sheet into the oven to heat up. Roll out the pastry and use to line a 20cm deep loose-bottomed flan tin. Place in the fridge while you prepare the filling.

Place the maple syrup in a pan with the star anise. Warm over a medium heat until just simmering, then remove from the heat and set aside to infuse for 15 minutes. Remove the star anise. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Chop half the nuts and stir into the mixture, then beat in the maple syrup.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and arrange the remaining pecan nuts on the top in a neat pattern. Bake for 45-50 minutes, on top of the preheated baking sheet, until the filling is set and the top is golden. Cool in the tin for at least 15 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or cold with vanilla ice cream.

Pumpkin pie with walnut cinnamon crunch

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes

Serves 6

300g peeled and deseeded butternut squash, cut into chunks
205g pack sweet pastry case
4 tbsp maple syrup
1 free range large egg, beaten
4 tbsp single cream, plus extra for serving
Pinch of freshly grated whole nutmeg

For the crunch

3 tbsp (35g) walnut pieces
1½ tbsp demerara sugar
¼ tspt ground cinnamon

Bring a small pan of water to the boil and add the squash. Cook for 15 minutes or until tender then drain. Press through a sieve into a large bowl to make a purée, then set aside to cool. Preheat the oven to 160C and place the pastry case onto a baking sheet. When the squash is cool, add the maple syrup, egg, cream and nutmeg, and mix well. Pour the mixture into the pastry case and bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until just set.

Leave the pie to cool completely at room temperature. Place the walnuts, half the sugar and cinnamon into a mini processor and pulse until the nuts are finely chopped. Stir in the remaining sugar. Sprinkle over the tart before cutting into slices and serving with cream.

For more shortcrust pastry recipes, visit waitrose.com