Plate Expectations: Cardamom and chocolate pie

This shortcrust pastry pie filled with cardamom chocolate custard and baked oats is an unusual combination, but delicious and ideal for a cold day when something warming is required. For a shortcut, buy ready-made pastry or a pastry pie case.

Method

1. If making your own pastry, combine all the pastry ingredients together in a food processor.
2. Pulse until combined. Remove, cover with cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for 20 minutes.
3. Lightly dust the work surface with flour, roll out the pastry to fit a 22cm deep pie dish, so there is a 2.5cm overhang.
4. Using your thumb and forefinger, crimp the pie edge and chill for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Cover the pie with baking parchment, insert baking beans and blind bake for 20 minutes.
6. Remove the baking beans and baking parchment, glaze the inside and sides of the pastry with beaten egg yolk. Return to the oven for a further five minutes.
7. While the oven is on, put the oats onto a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes
   or until golden.
8. Put the eggs, golden syrup, sugar, rum, cinnamon, cardamom and vanilla essence into the mixer and whisk until smooth.
9. Stir into the oats, and add the chocolate, and mix briefly.
10. Pour into the prepared pastry base. Bake immediately at the reduced temperature of 150°C for 50 minutes or until the middle is just set.  Leave to cool completely before serving.

Ingredients

For the pastry:

• 250g plain flour
• Pinch salt
• 110g unsalted butter / non-dairy margarine
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 egg yolk – to glaze pastry

For the filling:

• 200g jumbo oats
• 5 eggs
• 200g golden syrup
• 75g dark brown muscovado sugar
• 1 tablespoon rum
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 150g dark chocolate – finely chopped

Preparation time: 35 Mins plus chilling time. Cooking time: 1 hour 25 Mins. Serves: 8-10