Fourth-of-July choc-cherry pie

Method

• 1
  Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan forced. Lightly grease a 19 x 27cm (base measurement) rectangular fluted tart tin with removable base. Spread the walnuts over a baking tray. Cook for 3 minutes or until lightly toasted. Set aside to cool completely.
• 2
  Process the nuts in a food processor until just finely ground. Add the flour, icing sugar and butter and process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the water and process until dough just forms small clumps. Turn onto a work surface and gently bring the dough together. Reserve one-quarter of the pastry. Roll out the remaining pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper to a 3-4mmthick rectangle. Line the prepared tin with the pastry. Trim the edges. Roll out the reserved pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper to form a 13 x 19.5cm rectangle. Transfer to a chopping board. Place the tin and the board in the fridge for 20 minutes to rest.
• 3
  Line the pastry base with baking paper and fill with pastry weights or rice. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and pastry weights or rice and bake for 10 minutes or until light golden. Brush the base with egg white. Bake for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool completely to room temperature.
• 4
  Meanwhile, line a baking tray with baking paper. Use a fluted pastry cutter or knife to cut six 1 x 19.5cm strips from the remaining pastry. Use a 4cm star cutter to cut out 5 stars from the remaining pastry. Place on prepared tray. Brush with egg. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden. Set aside to cool completely to room temperature.
• 5
  For the filling, reduce the oven to 160C/140C fan forced. Place the cream and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water). Cook, stirring, until melted and smooth. Use a balloon whisk to mix the eggs and yolks in a bowl until combined. Remove chocolate mixture from the heat and stir in the egg mixture and vanilla until smooth.
• 6
  Spread the cherries over the base. Pour over the chocolate mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until just set. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Decorate with stars and stripes. Dust with icing sugar.