Cherry Pie

This cherry pie is delicious, and is an ultimate summer dessert. I especially love it warm with ice cream. This recipe can also be used with frozen cherries if needed.

Cherry Filling

5 cups of cherries (fresh or frozen) pitted

1/2 tsp of salt

1 tsp of vanilla extract

1/3 c. to 1/2 cup of sugar. taste the cherries with 1/3 cup of sugar, and add more if necessary

2 tbsp of corn starch mixed with a little cold water

Over a medium heat in a sauce pan place all of the above ingredients except the cornstarch mixture. Taste the cherries (if fresh) and see if you need to add additional sugar. Then add the cornstarch mixture. Turn heat to medium and make sure you mix ingredients with a spoon often. Cook on medium heat for about 7-9 minutes, or until cherries slightly break down and liquid thickens. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 3 minutes more. Let cool and store in refrigerator until use.

Pie Crust

1 cup of unbleached all-purpose flour

8 tablespoons of unsalted butter, cold

1 tsp apple cider vinegar diluted in 1/4 cup ice cold water

1/4 tsp salt

In a large bowl place flour and salt, mix with clean hands. Grate with cheese grater ice cold butter (you could even freeze butter for 10 minutes before grating) into flour. Mix with hands gently to coat. Place dough in freezer for 5 minutes.

Take bowl out of freezer, mix butter into flour with hands until pea sized shapes are established. Begin to spoon in vinegar/water mixture 1 spoonful at a time, mix with hands until the dough holds shape when squeezed. Form dough into a round shape, cover with plastic wrap, put into fridge for at least an hour.

Crumb Topping

Butter Melted - 3 tbsp

Old Fashioned Oats - 3 tbsp

Brown Sugar (light or dark) - 2 tbsp

All Purpose Flour - 3 tbsp

pinch of salt

Mix all the ingredients above with a spoon or clean hands. Will have a crumbly consistency. Keep in fridge until ready to use.

Pie Assembly and Bake

Preheat oven to 400F. On a clean pastry board or parchment paper, roll out dough slightly larger than your pie pan. I use a 8in aluminum pan, do not go bigger than this size. Place rolled out circle into pan, tuck edges under and crimp with fingers. Place 1 tbsp of almond meal on bottom of pie dough if you have it, if you don’t, then no worries.

Place cherry filling in pie, finish with crumb topping. Place into oven and bake for 10 minutes at 400F, reduce heat to 375F and cook for another 20-25 minutes, or until topping is golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream or homemade whipped cream.