BBC - Radio 4 Woman's Hour -Jefferson Davis Pie

Serves 6 - 8

110g/4oz unsalted butter
225g/8oz light brown muscovado sugar
4 egg yolks
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp allspice
1 tsp grated nutmeg
240ml/8fl oz double cream
85g/3oz raisins
85g/3oz pecan nuts, chopped shortcrust pastry made with 110g/4oz flour and 55g/2oz unsalted butter

Roll out the pastry and line a 23cm/9in tart tin. Preheat the oven to 200º C/400º F/Gas 6 and bake the pastry case blind for 20 minutes. Remove the beans and greaseproof and return the pastry to the oven for 5 minutes until pale gold in colour.

Turn the oven down to 170ºC/325ºF/Gas 3. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl, then beat in the egg yolks one at a time. Mix together the flour, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg and add them to the bowl, then stir in the cream, dates, raisins and pecan nuts. Scrape the filling into the cooked pie shell and bake for about 30 minutes until set.

You can eat this pie warm, as is, or cover with meringue made with 3 egg whites and 85g/3oz unrefined caster sugar in the usual way. Bake the pie for a further 15-20 minutes until the meringue is crisp and golden.

Retired? Downsizing? Moving home to be nearer the kids?