Scary Pie Face - Delicious Cinnamon-Pear Pie

Quick and easy ("as easy as pie") recipe, which you can prepare in almost no time.

Pastry:

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons coarse sugar (optional)

1 cup slightly softened butter

8 to 10 tablespoons water

Filling:

3-4 hard pears - thinly sliced

2 teaspoons of finely ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons coarse sugar

Optional:

Maple syrup

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix flour and salt.

Cut in butter and add water mixing with a fork - the finished dough should hold together when pressed.

At this stage add the coarse sugar and continue mixing until it is evenly distributed in the dough.

Cover the bowl with foil and let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Roll the dough into two circles slightly larger than your pie pan (14inches/35cm) - one for the bottom and one for the cover.

Place the first dough circle in the pan, overlapping the edge and line with a layer of pear slices. Sprinkle with cinnamon and coarse sugar and add another layer of pear slices, sprinkle again with cinnamon and sugar and continue building up the filling until you use up all the slices.

Cover the pie with the other dough circle, rolling over the edge and pressing it with a fork to achieve a good bond of the crust.

Now time for the vent holes. I usually like to give my pies a face, therefore I cut out slits for the eyes and mouth, molding them into appropriate shape and also shaping a nose in the middle of the pie using my fingers.

To add more realism I have added dried cranberries for the eyes and pieces of dried pineapple as the teeth, (I usually use almond slices, but this time ran out)

Bake at 180 degrees C (350-360F) for 45-50 minutes or until the crust is golden color. .

Optionally at the end, glaze the top with maple syrup and bake for 5 more minutes, turning up the heat to 220C (430F)

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

ENJOY!