To make pastry, process flour, sugar and butter until crumbly. Add egg yolk; process until combined. Knead dough on floured surface until smooth. Wrap pastry in plastic; refrigerate 30 minutes.

Combine apple, sugar, star anise and half the water in medium saucepan; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, about 5 minutes or until apple is tender. Add cherries; simmer 2 minutes. Stir in blended cornflour and the remaining water; stir over heat until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat; cool 10 minutes. Discard star anise.

Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Grease 18 holes of two 12-hole (2-tablespoon/40ml) deep flat-based patty pans.

Roll two-thirds of the pastry between sheets of baking paper until 3mm (¹/8 inch) thick; cut out 18 x 6.5cm (2¾-inch) rounds from pastry. Press rounds into pan holes. Refrigerate 20 minutes.

Roll remaining pastry between sheets of baking paper to make a 20cm (8-inch) square; cut into 5mm (¼-inch) wide strips. Spoon fruit mixture into cases, brush edges of pastry with egg white. Lattice pastry strips over fruit filling; trim any excess pastry. Brush lattice with egg white; sprinkle with extra sugar. Bake about 20 minutes.

Stand pies in pan 10 minutes; transfer to wire rack to cool.