Cherry Pie
User Reviews
5
Cherry Pie
Description
Cherry Pie combines pitted tart cherries cooked with sugar, spices, and almond extract into a thickened, glossy filling that is poured into a rolled-out pie crust. The pie crust is chilled before baking to maintain its structure and flakiness. Cooking the cherry juice with a cornstarch slurry intensifies the cherry flavor and creates a smooth, thick filling that holds well during baking. The addition of cinnamon and ginger adds warmth to the tartness, while almond extract enhances the fruit notes.
The pie bakes with a golden crust and tender, juicy filling, characteristic of a traditional fruit pie. The use of frozen cherries ensures availability year-round, and reserving cherry juice helps build depth of flavor. It serves well as a dessert alone or with accompaniments like vanilla ice cream to balance the tartness.
For best results, the filling should be cooled completely before assembling the pie to prevent the crust from becoming soggy. Leftover cherry juice can be saved for drinks or sauces, contributing to efficient use of ingredients. The recipe emphasizes resting the dough and proper layering to achieve a well-structured, flavorful pastry dessert.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds tart cherry thawed, juices reserved, frozen, pitted
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup water plus 1 tablespoon
- ¾ cup cane sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- Pinch salt
- 1 recipe pie crust chilled at least 2 hours
- 1 egg large
- sugar optional, coarse
- vanilla ice cream for serving
Instructions
- Place the cherries in a strainer set over a bowl to capture the excess juices. Measure 1 cup of the cherry juice.* Save any remaining juice for another use. Transfer the cherries to a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and ¼ cup of the water until smooth. Set aside.
- Place the 1 cup cherry juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the sugar, stir, and return the mixture to a boil. When the sugar is dissolved, add the cornstarch mixture and stir until the juices thicken and become clear and glossy. Remove from the heat and pour over the cherries. Stir in the cinnamon, ginger, almond extract, and salt. Allow to cool completely.
- Make the bottom crust. Follow the instructions in the pie crust recipe to roll out the bottom crust, leaving a ½-inch overhang on all sides of the pie plate. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Arrange an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven. Place a baking sheet on the rack and preheat the oven to 425°F with the baking sheet inside it.
- Meanwhile, make the top crust. Use the same method to roll out the remaining pie dough. Transfer it to a baking sheet, loosely cover it with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge until the bottom crust has chilled for 30 minutes.
- Assemble the pie. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and the remaining 1 tablespoon water. Set aside.
- Remove the bottom crust from the refrigerator and pour in the cooled filling. Transfer the top crust to a cutting board and use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut it into 1-inch strips. Evenly space 4 to 5 strips crosswise over the pie. Weave 4 to 5 more strips through the crosswise strips to create a lattice, pulling back the original strips as necessary to weave. Trim the edges of the lattice, then fold the edges of the bottom crust up and over it so that the edge of the dough is in line with the edge of the pie plate. Crimp the dough with your fingers or a fork to seal.
- Brush the lattice with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar, if using. Place the pie on the hot baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375°F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling has been bubbling for several minutes. If the edges of the crust start to brown too much before the filling is bubbling, tent them with foil and continue baking until the filling bubbles.
- Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving, about 4 hours.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- If insufficient cherry juice is obtained from thawed cherries, briefly microwaving them in increments helps release more juice.
- Reserve any extra cherry juice for other uses such as sauces or beverages.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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