Strawberry Cream Pie

This pie always seems to disappear in one sitting! Rich, fruity, creamy & sweet - everyone wants a second helping....

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   1. Heat oven to gas 4 / 180 c. To make the sweetcrust pastry, Rub together the flour and butter (either by hand or in a mixer) until resembles breadcrumbs. Add in the vanilla bean paste & icing sugar. Beat the egg and add combine into the mix until you have a firm dough - you may not need all the egg or if find still too dry with all the egg added, add cold water until dough achieved.
   2. Grease a large pie dish. Roll out pastry on floured surface to size large enough to fill the pie dish and overhang by 1 inch. Line the dish with pastry and have about 1 inch overhang. Blind bake in oven for approx 30 mins until golden brown. Reomove from oven and allow to cool. Trim the excess pastry from the side of the dish.
   3. The make the filling, Reserve about 10 strawberries. Remove the stalks from the rest & blitz them in a blender until smooth puree. Place this puree in a bowl over a pan of simmering water (ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water or bottom of the pan) Whisk in the cornflour, salt, 2 tbsp of the icing sugar. Pour a small amount of this warmed mix into the beaten eggs and then whisk the eggs into the mix again. Add the cream and whisk over the heat until thickened. Add the butter and vanilla bean paste. Set aside to cool.
   4. Pour the filling into the pie crust and place in the fridge to cool completely and set.
   5. To make the topping, Whisk up the double cream until in firm peaks. Beat in the remaining 2 tbsp of icing sugar.
   6. Slice up the reserved strawberries. Place slices over the top of the cooled pie (reserve some slices for decoration on the top if require also). Smooth over the cream with a palate knife.
   Enjoy!