Cherry Pie Recipe

Cherry pie is a simple but tasty dish.

Cherry pie is a classic American dessert that is just as popular in the UK. The beauty of making pies is that one straightforward recipe can be adapted, just by changing the filling, to enable you to bake many different dishes. While sweet cherries are best eaten fresh, sour cherries, such as Morello or Montmorency, are best for pie fillings.

Things You'll Need

• 500g cherries (stoned)
• 75g caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon kirsch
• Food processor
• 400g plain flour
• 200g butter
• 3 egg yolks
• Cling film
• Refrigerator
• Oven
• Rolling pin
• Large pie dish
• Knife
• Basting brush
• 25g demerara sugar
• Cream or vanilla ice cream to serve

Instructions

1. 

   Cherries make a juicy pie filling.

   Mix the cherries with 25g of the sugar and the kirsch; leave to soak for 20 minutes.

2. 

   A food processor makes creating the pastry mixture easy.

   Put the flour into a food processor.

3. 

   Dice the butter before adding it.

   Dice the butter; add it to the flour and pulse until it forms breadcrumbs.

4. 

   Caster sugar is part of the pastry mixture.

   Add the remaining 50g of caster sugar and mix further.

5. 

   Egg yolks bind the pastry mixture together.

   Add two of the egg yolks and pulse until the pastry mixture comes together. Wrap in cling film and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

6. 

   The oven must be preheated.

   Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas mark 5.

7. 

   Use the rolling pin to roll out the pastry mixture.

   Take out half the pastry mixture from the food processor, use the rolling pin to roll it out and then line your pie dish.

8. 

   The pastry mixture must be rolled flat.

   Spread the cherry mixture over the pastry on the bottom of the pie dish. Roll out the rest of the pastry mixture and drape it over the top.

9. 

   Any kitchen knife can be used to trim the pastry.

   Trim the top layer of pastry with a knife, crimp and seal the edges with your fingertips and then glaze all over with the third egg yolk, using the basting brush.

10. 

    The top of the pie should be crisp.

    Bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes; the pastry should be crisp and golden. Sprinkle the top of the pie with demerara sugar in the last five minutes of cooking.

11. 

    Ice cream goes well with cherry pie.

    Rest for 10 minutes. Serve with cream or vanilla ice cream.

Tips & Warnings

• Adjust cooking times to suit your oven, if necessary.

References

• Easy to Make! Pies Pies Pies; Good Housekeeping Institute; 2008