directions

Step 1: Fruit Filling

In a large bowl, combine the berries and pitted cherries.

Step 2: Fruit Filling

Peel and pit the nectarines, peaches, and plums. Slice into 1 inch pieces and place in the bowl.

Step 3: Fruit Filling

Add the sugar and lemon juice and toss to coat. Let the fruit stand at room temp for 1 hour, tossing occasionally.

Step 4: Fruit Filling

While the fruit is macerating, begin preparing the pie crust, starting with prepping the roll out surface with the ice water pan as directed.

Step 5: Fruit Filling

After the fruit is fully macerated, strain, reserving 1 cup of the juices.

Step 6: Fruit Filling

Whisk pie thickener and fruit liquid together in a small bowl. Add pie thickener mixture to the fruit. Toss gently.

Step 7: Fruit Filling

Pour fruit mixture into prepared bottom pie crust. Place in the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 400F.

Step 1: Pie Crust

To insure a flaky crust, take a large roasting pan, fill it with ice and a little water and allow it to sit on the surface that you will be rolling the dough out on.

Step 2: Pie Crust

30 minutes after you have placed the ice water pan on the counter, in the bowl of a food processor, combine the flours, dough improver, salt, and sugar. Process for 20 seconds to evenly distribute the dry ingredients.

Step 3: Pie Crust

Add the butter and pulse around 10-12 times to create a course meal texture. Add the frozen lard and pulse 6-8 times to partially break up the lard. *Clumps can be about the size of a small blueberry.

Step 4: Pie Crust

Dump the mixture into a large bowl and add the water, using a fork to mix.

Step 5: Pie Crust

Bring together 2 balls of dough, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Step 6: Pie Crust

Take the ice water pan off of the counter and set aside.

Step 7: Pie Crust

Remove one of the dough balls from the refrigerator and press into a disk on a lightly floured silicone rolling mat placed over the area on the counter where the ice water pan was.

Step 8: Pie Crust

Roll it out to fit a 9 inch deep dish pie plate. Place into the pie dish, cover loosely with plastic wrap.

Step 1: Egg Wash

Using a fork, beat egg and milk together.

Step 2: Egg Wash

Flatten second dough ball into a disk and roll it out as close to a rectangle as you can. Take a pizza cutter and cut out 12 long strands that are a little wider than a linguini noodle.

Step 3: Egg Wash

Remove pie from refrigerator. Taking 3 at a time, braid the 12 strips. Brush the perimeter of the pie with the egg wash. Place the braids on the edge of the pie dish.

Step 4: Egg Wash

Cut 4 long strands of dough. Working with 1 strip at a time, pinch the edges together slightly and gently roll into a vine.

Step 5: Egg Wash

Using a small flower cookie cutter, cut out 12 or so flowers. Roll any remaining dough out again and cut out about 15 leaves.

Step 6: Egg Wash

Arrange vines, leaves, and flowers on the top of the fruit. Brush the crust with the egg wash, making sure to avoid getting it on the fruit.

Bake

Bake at 400F for 40 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 350F. Tent the pie with aluminum foil. Bake until juices bubble, about 40 minutes longer. Let cool on a wire rack.

Step 1: Glaze

Heat the apricot jelly over a medium flame, stirring constantly. When the jelly has turned to a liquid, take it off the burner and strain it.

Step 2: Glaze

Brush the glaze over the top of the pie after the pie has almost cooled completely. **Don't add too much glaze or it will look like you have jelly on the top of your pie, which you do, but it looks better with less.