Ingredients

• 1 tbsp butter
• for greasing
• 500g/1lb 2oz fresh gooseberries
• 200g/7oz caster sugar
• 300g/10½oz ready-rolled shortcrust pastry (rectangular in shape)
• plain flour
• for dusting
• 1 free-range egg
• beaten
• 6 free-range egg yolks
• 125g/4½oz caster sugar
• 200ml/7fl oz full fat milk
• 150ml/5½fl oz single cream
• 50ml/1¾fl oz champagne
• 1 vanilla pod
• split
• seeds scraped out with a knife

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Grease a 25cm/10in pie dish with butter.
• For the gooseberry pie
• heat the gooseberries and sugar in a pan over a low to medium heat for 6-8 minutes
• or until softened. Set aside to cool.
• Cut the shortcrust pastry in half and roll each piece out onto a lightly floured work surface
• until they are 5-8cm/2-3in larger than the diameter of the pie plate.
• Line the prepared pie plate with one of the rolled pastry sheets and trim the edges. Spoon the gooseberry and sugar mixture into the pie case in an even layer
• leaving 2.5cm/1in free around the edges.
• Lay the remaining pastry sheet over the pie plate and trim off any excess. Seal the edges of the pastry using a fork. Prick the pie all over with a fork and brush all over with the beaten egg.
• Transfer the gooseberry pie to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes
• or until golden-brown.
• Meanwhile
• for the champagne custard
• in bowl
• whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale and fluffy.
• Heat the milk
• cream
• champagne and vanilla seeds in a pan until simmering but not boiling. When the mixture is almost boiling
• remove the pan from the heat and gradually pour it over the egg and sugar mixture in a thin stream
• whisking continuously.
• Return the custard mixture to a clean pan and heat over a low to medium heat for 8-10 minutes
• stirring continuously
• until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• To serve
• slice the pie into 6-8 wedges. Place one wedge into the centre of each serving plate and pour over the champagne custard.