Cherry Pie

Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 55 mins | Course: Dessert | Yield: 8

Tart cherry pie with a flakey pastry heart crust with warm notes of cinnamon and cardamom. I love using different types of cherries for texture, beautification and a more full flavor. Inspired by Natasha of Natashas Kitchen https://natashaskitchen.com/classic-cherry-pie-recipe/ 

2 16-oz cans sour cherries, with juice

10 oz frozen cherries

3 oz dried cherries

¼ cup tart cherry juice

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

1 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp cardamom

1 Tbsp lemon (or orange zest)

½ lemon, juiced (or orange)

1 Tbsp vanilla

2 Tbsp butter, cut into bits

Raw sugar, for topping

Prepare pastry (my favorite pastry recipe included below) and line a pie shell with one round of rolled-out pastry, cut out hearts or desired shapes with any scraps of pastry. Preheat oven to 425*. In a medium saucepan, stir sour cherries in their juices with frozen cherries, dried cherries and cherry juice. Add sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, cardamom and citrus zest and juice. Turn heat on to medium heat and stir till the mixture is beginning to thicken. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour into a pastry-lined pie dish and dot the filling with butter bits. 

Decorate the top of your pie with the hearts, etc. Brush the pastry hearts with a bit of the thickened pie juices surrounding them and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake for 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350* and bake for 30-35 minutes longer. Allow to cool fully before serving.

Perfect Pastry: (makes two pastry shells) 

2 ½ cups flour

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp baking powder

1 cup (2 sticks butter) cut into tablespoons

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

8 Tbsp cold water

In a food processor with the metal blade, add the flour, salt and baking powder. Pulse once to mix. Top with the tablespoon size slices of butter and pulse until the mixture is roughly mixed together like a coarse cornmeal mix and the butter bits are no bigger than the size of a pea. You’ll want to do most of the mixing before adding liquid to keep the dough tender. Add in the vinegar and water and quickly pulse about 16 (or fewer) times to incorporate, the dough will begin to come together. Spread two sheets of plastic wrap on the counter and divide the dough between them. Wrap, flatten the discs (pressing in little areas that may need to still come together) and chill them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, longer is fine (up to several days). The dough can be made by hand in a large mixing bowl with a pastry blender, a large fork or even your hands; remember to do most of the mixing work before adding liquid to keep the pastry from being tough. I find dough made by hand needs 1 additional tablespoon of water. You may need to add 1 additional tablespoon of water if the weather is very dry as well.

Preheat oven to 425*. Using a sheet of waxed paper or parchment, dust your rolling surface with a sprinkling of flour. Place chilled pastry on top, dust the top lightly with flour and roll out an inch or so larger than your pie plate (if the pastry is really cold it may need to warm up a bit before it rolls easily; if it cracks give it a few minutes before continuing to roll). When the pastry is rolled out, use the rolling pin to help fold the dough over the pie plate. Press in and crimp dough edges decoratively; if blind baking, prick the shell multiple times with a fork and chill another 15-30 minutes. There is no need to fork the pastry if cooking with a filling, such as cherry pie, Have fun with decorating and crimping. There are many ways to crimp, decorate or emboss the outside edges of your pie crust from a corkscrew to cake embossing tools, etc. Bake the pie as directed. Reserve the second pastry disc for another delicious pie.