Cancer rules the stomach and like Taurus, is one of the most foodie signs. Food gives emotional comfort to Cancerians, a feeling of home and stability.

As a water sign, Cancer will enjoy watery foods: celery, lettuce, cucumber, melon and salad. Of course a sign represented by the crab will enjoy crab and other seafoods.

Astrologically Cancer is the fourth sign, the house of home, roots, family, heritage, patriotism. When applied to cooking, a cancer will yearn for home cooking.

America is a Cancerian country. Underneath all the flashy futuristic technology and brash salesmanship, it’s a traditional and religious country beholden to the flag and mom’s apple pie. Here I’ve created an apple and custard pie for home-sick Cancerians.

Mom’s Apple Pie with a Twist

America is a Cancer country, and one of the symbolic dishes is ‘Mom’s apple pie’- redolent of motherhood, roots, country, and comfort food. Here I added a custard thickener to a traditional apple pie.

Ingredients

• 6 cooking apples, cored, peeled and cut into thick chunks
• 6 cloves
• 75g caster sugar
• 50 ml water
• pack shortcrust pastry, or make from scratch
• 2 tbsp custard powder
• 1 egg, whisked, for egg wash

Instructions

1. Mix the apples slices with the cloves, sugar and water and set aside
2. Grease and flour the pie tin and preheat the oven to 180C
3. Roll out the pastry on a clean floured surface, into a large circle and drape it into the pie tin. Gently press it into the tin and cut off the excess. Using a fork, prick the bottom.
4. Drain the apple slices, remove the cloves, pouring the excess sugary liquid into a small saucepan.
5. Put the drained apples slices onto the pie pastry.
6. Add the custard powder to the sugar liquid, and heat, stirring, until it forms a thick liquid. Let it cool then pour into the pie on top of the apples.
7. With the excess pastry, make a ball, lightly re-flour the surface and roll it out into a circle big enough to cover the pie tin. Cut a cross in the middle to let out steam.
8. With any excess pastry, use it to make patterns with cutters. I used an apple cutter.
9. Chill the pie for 30 minutes in the fridge
10. Remove from the fridge and brush the top with egg wash. Sprinkle with sugar.
11. Bake for 45 minutes.