Mary Berry Windfall Pie

The first time I made this pie, I was mostly trying to rescue a sad little basket of windfall apples from a neighbour’s garden. I threw in some rhubarb I’d been meaning to use up and figured, “Why not?”—which is exactly when a bake either flops spectacularly or turns out magic.

To be honest, it nearly flopped. I didn’t toss the fruit with enough cornflour the first time, and the filling turned into soup. But once I dialled in the fruit ratios and chilled the pastry properly, it turned into the most comforting thing I’ve baked all spring. Warm, tangy, jammy underneath—and golden, buttery on top.

If you’ve ever had too much fruit and not enough plan, let me show you how I turned mine into pie gold.

Why This One Works So Well

Most fruit pies get soggy or overly sweet. Not this one.

The magic, A sturdy homemade pastry that holds its shape even under juicy fruit—and a deceptively simple trick: cornflour in the filling. I know, I know, it sounds boring, but it’s the only reason this doesn’t leak everywhere. The combo of tart rhubarb and cooking apples gives a bright, tangy depth that’s not just sweet—but full-flavoured and rustic. Like spring in a pie dish.

And those little pastry rings on top, Not just pretty. They help vent the steam and keep the crust crisp.

INGREDIENTS + WHY THEY MATTER

• Young Pink Rhubarb (400g) – Adds tang and colour. Older rhubarb goes woody—stick to young stalks if you can.
• Cooking Apples (450g) – Bramley’s ideal. They break down into a fluffy texture that thickens the pie naturally.
• Caster Sugar (115g) – Sweetens but still lets the fruit shine. I once tried light brown sugar here—it muddied the rhubarb flavour.
• Cornflour (1 tbsp) – Essential for setting the filling. Without it, expect a puddle.
• Butter (115g) – For a rich, short pastry. I’ve tested with margarine—don’t. The flavour just vanishes.
• Plain Flour (175g) – The backbone of your pastry. Strong flour makes it too chewy.
• Icing Sugar (1 tbsp) – Adds a subtle sweetness to balance the tart filling.
• Egg (1) – Helps bind the pastry and gives that golden finish.

Ingredient Swaps That Hold Up

• No rhubarb: Swap in chopped gooseberries or blackberries (not too juicy though).
• Gluten-free: I tried this with a GF flour blend plus half a teaspoon of xanthan gum. Crust was a bit more fragile, but held.
• No egg in pastry: Sub in 2 tablespoons ice-cold water with a tiny splash of vinegar. It won’t brown as nicely, but it works.

Mistakes I’ve Made (And How to Avoid Them)

What Went Wrong	Why It Happens	How to Fix It
Filling turned watery	Not enough cornflour	Toss fruit thoroughly with cornflour
Pastry shrank in oven	Didn’t chill it before baking	Chill pastry for at least 20 minutes
Crust burned before filling cooked	Oven too hot or pie too high up	Bake middle shelf and cover loosely with foil if browning too fast

How To Make Mary Berry’s Windfall Pie

1. Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan (400°F). Grease a deep 28cm pie dish. I use a metal one for better base browning.
2. Make the pastry: Pulse butter and flour to crumbs. Add icing sugar and egg—pulse again until a ball forms. Wrap and chill for 20 minutes.
3. Prepare the filling: Toss rhubarb, apples, caster sugar, and cornflour in your dish. Don’t skimp the toss—it needs to coat every bit.
4. Roll pastry: On a floured surface, roll slightly larger than your dish. Drape over filling, press edges, and crimp.
5. Decorate: Re-roll trimmings. Stamp out fluted rings (I use two cutters for a “doughnut” look). Stick on top with beaten egg.
6. Bake: Brush with egg, sprinkle with demerara, and bake 30–40 minutes. Cover with foil if it colours too fast.
7. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Tips From My Kitchen

• I cut the rhubarb a bit chunkier than Mary says—1.5cm. It holds shape better.
• My fan oven runs hot—I check at 28 minutes and tent with foil if needed.
• I use a metal pie dish every time—glass made my base soggy.
• I cool the pie for 30 minutes before serving so the filling thickens beautifully.

Storage + Serving

• Keeps: 3 days in the fridge (covered).
• Freezes well: Wrap tightly. Freeze up to 2 months. Reheat at 180°C covered in foil for 20 minutes.
• To serve: Always warm. Custard is my go-to, but clotted cream is a bit lush if I’m honest.

FAQs

Q: Can I make this pie ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble the whole thing and pop it in the fridge. Bake straight from chilled—just add 5 extra minutes.

Q: My filling’s still runny—what went wrong?
Most likely, the fruit wasn’t coated well enough with cornflour or you didn’t let it cool before slicing.

Q: Can I use shop-bought pastry?
You can, but it won’t have the same buttery snap. If you do, go for all-butter shortcrust and roll it on the thicker side.

Q: Why young pink rhubarb?
It’s sweeter and more tender. Mature green rhubarb works too, but it’s tangier and needs a bit more sugar.

Q: Do I need to cook the filling first?
No. It cooks perfectly in the oven as long as the fruit pieces are cut to size and evenly tossed.

Try More Mary Berry Recipes:

• Mary Berry Banoffee Meringue Roulade
• Mary Berry Banbury Tart
• Mary Berry Chocolate Traybake
• Mary Berry Walnut and Coffee Sandwich Cake