• If you want a crisp bottom, you can partially bake it by lining the crust prior to filling with some baking paper and filling it with baking beans. Place onto a baking sheet and bake in a moderate oven (350*F/180*C)  for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and lift out the paper and baking beans. Proceed as per the recipe.
• To retain a pie's shape during baking, hook the fluted edge over the side of the pie plate all the way around, or press the flute firmly against the rim.
• To keep the edge from burning, cover the edge with foil during the first part of the baking. Start by folding a 12-inch square of aluminum foil into quarters. Cut a quarter circle from the folded corner, unfold and place over the pie. The center should be clear with only the edges covered. Pies which bake in less than 30 minutes do not need to be shielded.
• DO chill the pie with the crumb topping for half an hour prior to baking to set the crumbs. 
• Make sure you cut your apples into thin slices so that they will cook in the allotted time frame.
• Placing the pie onto a heated baking sheet to bake not only prevents spillage in the oven but ensures that the bottom of your pie will not be soggy.
• After baking cool on a wire rack. Allowing the air to circulate under the pie keeps the crust from becoming soggy.

1. Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Have ready a large wide brimmed mug, large enough to hold your filling. Mine is about 4 inches in circumference. (It would hold a good 1 1/2 cups of tea or coffee.)
2. Sift the flour into a bowl with the salt. Drop in the cold butter. Rub the butter in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add the water and toss together with a fork. Bring the mixture together into a ball, kneading lightly. (Alternately you can put the flour, salt and butter into a food processor and process until the mixture resembles fine dry crumbs.)
3. Remove about 1/3 of the ball and roll it into a long rope, long enough to measure around the circumference of your mug. Brush the edge of the mug with some milk and then press the rope around the edge to adhere. (This is what your top pastry will stick to.)
4. Toss the chopped apple and cranberries together with the sugar, spice and salt. Put into the mug. Dot with butter. (I like to make sure my apple pieces are roughly the same size as the berries.)
5. Roll out the remaining pastry, on a lightly floured surface, into a round large enough to cover the mug and then some. I used a floured 4 inch round fluted cutter to cut out an exact circle shape to fit on top. Brush the pastry edge of the mug lightly with some milk. (Brushing the edge of the pastry will help the lid to adhere properly.)
6. Place the round on top of the filling in the mug and press along the pastry edge to adhere. Flute gently if desired. Cut a few steam vents. (Steam vents are important.)
7. Brush with some milk and sprinkle with some demerara sugar. (If you have any pastry leftover, you can cut into shapes and put on top. I cut some leaves and a small apple. I added a dried clove for an apple stem.)
8. Place onto a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and the apples are cooked. (A knife should pierce them easily.)
9. Serve warm with or without pouring cream or custard. (A small scoop of vanilla ice-cream also works very well.)

• Read through the recipe thoroughly before beginning to help familiarize yourself with any equipment or ingredients needed.
• Assemble all of the ingredients you need to make this dessert before beginning. This simple act can serve to prevent you from leaving anything important out.
• Make sure your butter for the pastry is really cold.
• Make sure that the mug you use is large enough to hold your filling and that it is heat proof and will not shatter in the oven.
• Place the filled and topped mug on a small baking tray to protect your oven in case of any spill-over.

• 70g plain flour (1/2 cup)
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 150g caster sugar (3/4 cup)
• 3 TBS butter, softened
• 2 large free range eggs
• 1 (425g) tin of pureed pumpkin (15-oz tin)
• 250ml single cream (1 cup light cream)
• 1 TBS pure vanilla extract
•  lightly sweetened whipped cream to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Butter a 9-inch pie glass pie plate really well with butter. Set aside. (Don't skip buttering it ad I mean really generously so that it will not stick.)
2. Sift together (in a small bowl) the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, ginger and nutmeg. (Don't skip this step. It ensures a lump free pie and also means that your spices will be evenly dispersed throughout the pie.)
3. Cream together the butter and sugar.  Beat in the eggs.  Stir in the pumpkin, cream and vanilla.  Stir in the dry ingredients, beating them in well until the mixture is smooth.  Pour the mixture into the prepared pie dish. (I use an electric hand mixer to do this.)
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack and then chill for several hours prior to cutting into wedges to serve.  Garnish with whipped cream to serve. (I like to bake it the day before and leave it overnight in the refrigerator to really set up well and give nice firm slices.)

• Read the recipe through several times before beginning to familiarize yourself with ingredients, equipment and steps needed to make.
• Assemble all of your ingredients before you begin. That way you won't accidentally leave anything out.
• Butter your pie dish really well before adding the pie filling to ensure easy removal of the pie once baked and cooled.
• To ensure a lump free pie sift all of the dry ingredients together before mixing them into the remaining ingredients.
• The pie is done when the tip of a knife is inserted near the center and comes out clean.

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