Sour Cherry Pie
July 20, 2014
Margaux says…
My family farm has a couple of cherry trees, and this year we just happened to be in town (its 2.5 hours south of Chicago) when they were ready to pick! We picked as many as we could in 20 minutes, and got just enough for a pie and some hand pies I made a week later. Last year we got lucky with cherries, too, and I made this slab pie, which is also fantastic. It’s always hard to decide what kind of dessert to make when you only get cherries once a year. Next year, I vow to spend more than 20 minutes picking cherries (someone will have to entertain the children!), so that we have enough to freeze for later. Then I can make a pie, a slab pie, this sour cherry crumble pie that Aunt Suzy posted about years ago, and this cake that looks really good.
I found this recipe while reading a Smitten Kitchen blog about a strawberry rhubarb pie recipe that I used recently. The idea is that you bake the crust before baking the pie, so that the bottom crust isn’t soggy. I like that idea. It’s what I do with my single crust baked pies, like peach and custard pies, so why wouldn’t I do it with cherry? The results were just as I wanted…no soggy bottom crust. Instead it was nice and crisp, buttery and delicious. Instead of a traditional lattice top, I used a round cookie cutter to make a decorated top. I could have layered them and added more, because I didn’t think about the fact that they would shrink during baking. So I recommend putting more on than you think are needed.
Twice-Baked Sour Cherry Pie
adapted from Melissa Clark’s recipe in The New York Times
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, more for rolling out dough
3/8 teaspoon kosher salt
15 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1 cup sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons instant tapioca
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 pounds sour cherries (about 6 cups), rinsed and pitted
1 tablespoon kirsch or brandy
3 tablespoons heavy cream, or 1 egg yolk lightly whisked with 1 tbsp water
Demerara sugar, for sprinkling.
1. To make dough: in bowl of a food processor pulse together flour and salt just to combine. Add butter and pulse until chickpea-size pieces form. Add 3 to 6 tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until mixture just comes together. Separate dough into 2 disks, one using 2/3 dough, the other using the remaining. Wrap disks in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour (and up to 3 days) before rolling out and baking.
2. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place larger dough disk on a lightly floured surface and roll into a 12-inch circle, about 3/8-inch thick. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Line dough with foil and weigh it down with pie weights. Bake until crust is light golden brown, about 30 minutes.
3. While pie crust is baking, prepare filling. In bowl of a food processor, combine sugar, tapioca and cinnamon (use more tapioca if you prefer a thicker, more solid filling, and less if you like a looser, juicier filling). Run the motor until tapioca is finely ground. Place cherries in a bowl and add sugar and tapioca mixture. Drizzle in kirsch or brandy and toss gently to combine.
4. When pie crust is ready, transfer it to a wire rack to cool slightly and reduce heat to 375 degrees. Remove foil and weights. Scrape cherry filling into pie crust.
5. Place smaller disk of dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it 3/8-inch thick. Use a round cookie cutter (or several round cookie cutters of different sizes) to cut out circles of dough. Arrange circles on top of cherry filling in a pattern of your choice.
6. Brush top crust with cream or egg wash and sprinkle generously with Demerara sugar (as you can see in photos, I forgot my sugar. Oops.) Bake until crust is dark golden brown and filling begins to bubble, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer pie to a wire rack to cool for at least 2 hours, allowing filling to set before serving.
Basic Pie Crust
June 22, 2010
Margaux says…
I’ve given a couple pie crust-making lessons to friends in the past, and have also had several requests to do so, so I thought I would write a pie crust-making post. The term “easy as pie” isn’t all that accurate, in my opinion, unless you’re well practiced at the art of the pie crust. I’ve been making pie since I was a kid, and I still think it’s tricky. So if you’re first pie crust doesn’t turn out exactly like you’ve hoped, don’t be discouraged! It takes practice.
I use a recipe from Joy of Cooking, Deluxe Butter Flaky Pastry Dough. I almost always use this recipe, unless I’m out of butter…then I make a Crisco crust. The butter crust has so much more flavor, and goes with anything from fruit pies to custard. You can also use it as a tart crust. It’s all about the process…you have to be quick, and not work with the dough very much.
Aunt Suzy says
This crust sounds delicious and like something I need to try. I will ask Margaux to give me a lesson next time I visit her! I have used the Crisco crust recipe since learning it at my Mom’s side many years ago. It has always served me well and the only variation I’ve made is to occasionally make it with lard, which makes an even better crust. I use this approach sparingly because of lack of availability and that it’s not that good for you! But then I might argue the same for 2 sticks of butter or of Crisco. Pie crust, however, is good for the soul and what would life be like without pie?!!
Deluxe Butter Flaky Pastry Dough
Makes two 9-inch pie crusts, or two 9 1/2- or 10 inch tart crusts, or one covered pie crust
Using a rubber spatula, thoroughly mix in a large bowl:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon white sugar or 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Working quickly to prevent softening, cut into 1/4-inch pieces:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
Add the butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, chop the butter into pea-sized pieces.
Add:
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
With a few quick swipes of the pastry blender [or two butter knives], cut the shortening into large chunks and distribute throughout the bowl. Continue to chop until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. Do not let the mixture soften and begin to clump; it must remain dry and powdery.
Drizzle over the flour and fat mixture:
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon ice water
Cut with the blade side of the rubber spatula until the mixture looks evenly moistened and begins to form small balls. Press down on the dough with the flat side of the spatula. (This is where most people use their hands…I always use a spatula because your hands are hot and the butter will immediately start to melt, which is NOT good.)
If the balls of dough stick together, you have added enough water; if they do not, drizzle over the top:
1 to 2 tablespoons ice water
Cut in the water, then press with your hands until the dough coheres. The dough should look rough, not smooth. Divide the dough in half, press each half into a thick, flat disk, and wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably for several hours, or for up to 2 days before rolling. [Don’t skip this step] The dough can also be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 6 months; thaw completely before rolling.
For single crust pie:
Make half recipe of deluxe butter pastry dough. Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes. Roll out dough, then place in 9 inch pie plate, trim edges so there’s about an inch or more overhang. Tuck overhang under. Refrigerate another 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400. Take pie shell out, and crimp edges (or however you want it to look!). Line with foil, making sure there’s enough overhang to cover the edges, and fill with pie weights (or rice or beans). Bake for 20 minutes, then take out and carefully remove foil and weights. Pierce bottom all over with a fork, then place back in oven for 5-10 minutes, until nicely browned.
Sweet & Savory Kitchens 