Cherry pie, pt 1, the filling
I made my first pie when I was thirteen for Christmas dinner. It was cherry pie. It has become a staple in my baking repertoire and my signature dish. It is, I believe, the only cherry pie my mom has ever liked. It has, on occasion, caused an epiphany. Once one of my cousins was too sick to come to our holiday feast and requested a whole pie to have all to herself. This is some good stuff.
I found the recipe in the original Betty Crocker Cookbook, which had belonged to my grandmother. While it was falling apart and had some antiquated recipes (most of the salads involve jello and/or mayonnaise), it was full of useful tips and delicious cookies, cakes, and of course, pies.
Cherry Pie
Adapted from the Betty Crocker Cookbook
I’ve used both canned and fresh sour cherries (I’ve never been able to find frozen sour cherries). While I prefer the fresh ones, their season is woefully short, and does not extend into December, they hardly make it into August. If you’re using canned cherries, I like the Oregon tart cherries, and use 3-4 cans, depending upon the depth of my dish.
Cinnamon and almond extract are my fall back flavorings but if I have it on hand I like to add a teaspoon of rose water (quality rose water) or some lemon zest and juice.
4-5 cups sour cherries, pitted
1 cup (225 g) sugar
5 tbsp (38 g) flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
a few drops almond extract
9″ double pie crust (I will tell you how I make my crust in a later post)
Preheat oven to 425-degrees. Mix together all ingredients and set aside.
With a slotted spoon, transfer fruit to your pie dish. Cover with top crust (I either use a lattice top or cut outs with cherry pie) and bake for 45-55 minutes until the filling is bubbling.
When I make fruit pies I usually roll out the bottom crust and pre-bake it for about 15 minutes (no one wants a soggy bottom), weighing it down with pie weights. While the bottom crust is in the oven I throw together the filling and let it sit so that the fruit releases some of its juices. Once the bottom crust is out of the oven, I roll out the top crust. Then I use a slotted spoon to transfer the fruit to the dish, leaving the excess juices behind in the bowl. Add top crust, cover the edges with aluminum foil or a crust shield, and bake until the juices in the center of the pie are bubbling.
5 Responses to “Cherry pie, pt 1, the filling”
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That looks soooo good! I have trouble finding sour cherries in Michigan. We’re known for our sweet cherries from Traverse City, so maybe I’ll take your canned recommendation and try this out.
I am craving your cherry pie right now. I am even craving cherries, which is not usual for me.
I’m craving my cherry pie too.
Nicole- I can’t believe there are no sour cherries in Michigan! I thought it was the promised land for cherries!
Mom- I’m craving my cherry pie too. And cherries. Sour cherries are sadly already out of season. I found a place across the park that sells sweet cherries for $1.99/lb, which offers some consolation.
I got to this site by searching Yahoo. I have to say that this looks succulent. Thanks for taking your time submitting this recipe!
Thank you for taking the time to comment!