serves
10
prep
40 minutes
cook
45 minutes
difficulty
Mid
serves
10
people
preparation
40
minutes
cooking
45
minutes
difficulty
Mid
level
Ingredients
- 1 egg whisked with 1 tsp water, to glaze
Dough
- 125 ml (½ cup) milk
- 100 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 egg
- 125 ml (½ cup) lukewarm water
- 7 g (1 sachet) dried yeast
- 75 g (⅓ cup) caster sugar
- 450 g (3 cups) bread or pizza flour, plus extra for rolling
- 1 tsp natural vanilla essence or extract
- 1 lemon, zest finely grated
Filling
- 400 g farmer’s cheese (see Baker’s tips)
- 120 g (½ cup) crème fraîche
- 110 g (½ cup) caster sugar
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 1 egg
- 1½ tsp natural vanilla essence or extract
- 120 g (⅔ cup) seedless raisins
Proving time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Chilling time: 1½ hours
Cooling time: 15 minutes
Instructions
To make the dough, place the milk and butter in a small saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring occasionally, just until the butter melts. Remove from heat. Use a fork to whisk in the egg and set aside to cool until lukewarm (this will take about 15 minutes).
Meanwhile, combine the water, yeast and 1 tbsp sugar in a small bowl. Set aide in a warm, draft-free place for 5 minutes or until foamy.
Place the flour and remaining sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the milk mixture, yeast mixture, vanilla and lemon zest. Use the dough hook to knead on low speed for 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and quite soft and sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
Use your fist to punch down the dough and gather it into a ball. Leave in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1½ hours until firm enough to roll.
Meanwhile, to make the filling, combine the farmer’s cheese, crème fraîche, sugar, flour, egg and vanilla in a medium bowl and use an electric mixer to beet until smooth and well combined. Stir in the raisins. Cover and refrigerate until required.
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).
Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out the dough on a lightly floured benchtop to a disc about 40 cm in diameter and about 5 mm thick. Carefully drape the dough loosely around the rolling pin. Place it over an ungreased 4 cm deep, 22 cm (base measurement) tart tin with a removable base and then unroll the dough and ease it into the tart tin to line, using your fingertips to press it well into the corners and fluted side, leaving the dough to overhang.
Spread the filling over the base to fill the case. Fold in the overhanging dough into the centr of the pie to cover the filling. Brush with the egg wash to glaze. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 20 minutes or until the dough has risen slightly.
Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until the dough is cooked through and the pie sounds hollow when tapped on the top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 20 minutes. Serve warm in wedges.
Baker’s tips
• If you can’t buy farmer’s cheese at your local delicatessen it is very easy to make. To make 400 g of your own, warm 1.25 litres (5 cups) buttermilk in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until it reaches 70°C on a sugar thermometer and has curdled. Remove from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes. Line a sieve with a double layer of muslin and sit over a bowl. Strain the buttermilk through the sieve, catching the curds in the sieve. Place in the fridge for 1½ hours or until well drained. Discard the liquid in the bowl and use the farmer’s cheese as directed.
Photography by Alan Benson. Styling by Anneka Manning. Food preparation by Tina McLeish.
Anneka's mission is to connect home cooks with the magic of baking, and through this, with those they love. For hands-on baking classes and baking tips, visit her at . Don't miss what's coming out of her oven via ,, and .
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
