| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 1 hr 20 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Cook: | 1 hr |
| Yield: | 1 pie |
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter flavored shortening, chilled (recommended: Crisco)
- 1/2 cup ice cold water (plus 1 tablespoon)
- Leftover crust
- 8 red cherries
- 15 dried cherries
- 1 tablespoon baking glitter, if desired
- 1 (12-ounce) frozen package dark sweet cherries, thawed, (recommended: Dole)
- 21/2 cups frozen, pitted red tart cherries, thawed
- 1/2 cup dried cherries
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/4 cup tart cherry juice concentrate
- 3 drops almond extract
- 3 drops red food coloring
- 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 vanilla bean pod (extracted seeds only)
- 1/4 cup minute tapioca (recommended: Kraft)
- 1 tablespoon cream
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons cream
Instructions
- For the Pie Crust:
- Place flour, salt and shortening in a bowl. Cut in shortening using a pastry blender until pea-sized pieces form. Add water and toss with a fork until mixture holds together. Refrigerate until chilled. Cut in half and roll out bottom crust to fit 9-inch pie pan. Roll top crust and cut spokes with serrated cutting wheel. Fold spokes to center and set aside.. Extra trim from crust may be use for cutting cherry blossoms.
- For the Cherry Blossoms:
- Roll out excess trimmings from crust. Cut of circles of pie dough to desired size with round cookie cutter. With knife, cut petals. Place dried cheery or half of thawed cherry in center of each blossom and bake on cookie sheet in a preheated 425 degrees F oven. Sprinkle with baking glitter, if desired.
- For the Filling:
- Drain cherries. Place in a glass mixing bowl and microwave until at least room temperature. Pour melted butter over cherries. Mix sugar, vanilla bean seeds and tapioca and add to bowl. Combine cherry juice concentrate, almond extract and food coloring. Pour over cherries and mix gently. Place in pie shell Unfold top crust and cover the filling. Crimp to seal edges. Brush with cream and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake at 425 degrees F for 50 minutes. Cover crust with foil when desired color appears. Remove pie from oven. Decorate with cherry blossoms and glaze.
- For the Glaze:
- Mix together powdered sugar and cream until a thin stream appears when the spoon is lifted from the bowl. Drizzle glaze over pie while still hot.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 18 servings |
| Calories | 333 |
| Total Fat | 15 g |
| Saturated Fat | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 50 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 33 g |
| Protein | 3 g |
| Cholesterol | 9 mg |
| Sodium | 71 mg |
Reviews
I haven’t tried this, but plan to next week. I would love to see a picture of the finished pie with the cherry blossoms on top. Any chance you could upload a photo? Thanks 🙂
Thanx for the compliment on my pie. I tried to write the recipe so that all could have great results. If you get the chance, add a can of Queen Anne (a white cherry) to it. Really makes it pop with color. Dennis
It’s been YEARS since I made a home-made cherry pie, including the crust, so I decided to take the plunge, get the ingredients, and follow the recipe. I made it exactly according to the directions, and it turned out FANTASTIC. I couldn’t even wait for it to cool completely….so I dug out a bowlful and ate it right away. I’m taking it to a dinner party tonight (sans one piece) and I know they will love it too.
It is without a doubt the very best cherry pie I ever ate in my life. Thanks a million for having the recipe for us.
It is without a doubt the very best cherry pie I ever ate in my life. Thanks a million for having the recipe for us.