when christmas goes pink..

.. and instead of Rudolph pie you end up making Pink Panther pie.

Pink Panther pie

base/pastry:

300g plain flour

150g cold unsalted butter, diced

pinch of salt

one egg

2 tbsp schnapps (I used domestic pear schnapps)

125g icing sugar

2 tsp red food color (I used silver spoon food color)

Mix flour and butter by hand until crumbly mixture and add pinch of salt. Separately whisk egg, schnapps, food color and icing sugar. Add this to crumbly mixture and bind the pastry. Wrap in clingfilm and rest in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Roll the pastry out into a disc (do this between two baking sheets) and line the tin (27cm) with it. Prick the dough with the fork and put it back in the fridge for another 20 minutes.

Heat the oven to 180°C. Remove from the fridge and bake the pastry for 15-20 minutes.

Leave to cool on a wire rack slightly, and spread 3 tbsp of raspberry jam over it.

filling/orange curd:

60g unsalted butter

3 eggs

5 tbsp caster sugar 

150ml orange juice 

zest of one orange

2 tbsp whipping cream

3 sheets of leaf gelatine

Melt the butter in a pan and add eggs, sugar, orange juice and zest and whisk to a custard over a gentle heat (until thickened). Off the heat, whisk in gelatine leaves and cream. Pour filling over the pastry case and leave to cool completely.

topping:

170ml whipping cream 

Whip the cream until soft peaks and spread over the pie.