Champion Cherry Pie Recipes

FOOLPROOF CHERRY PIE

Steps:

• Have ready and refrigerated one batch of foolproof all-butter pie crust.
• Remove the dough from the fridge 10 minutes before you begin rolling, as dough that is too cold will crack. Lightly flour a rolling pin and your work surface. Set the dough in the middle of the work surface and - beginning from the center of the disc - roll the dough away from you in one firm and even stoke. After each stroke, rotate the disc a quarter turn clockwise and roll again. Lightly sprinkle more flour on the work surface, on the dough, and on the rolling pin as needed. You want to use just enough to prevent the dough from sticking. As your disc of dough becomes larger, be sure not to overstretch the center of the dough. Continue rolling until the dough is 3 inches longer than the pan you are using, and around 1/8" to a 1/4" in thickness.
• Carefully fold the dough in half and lay it across one side of a buttered pie pan, placing the seam of the dough in the center of the pan. Gently unfold the crust, then use your hands to fit the dough down into the pan, making sure there are no gaps between the dough and the pan. Burst any air bubbles with a fork. Do not pull or stretch the dough here!
• Using kitchen scissors, trim the dough overhang to 1 and 1/2 inches, measuring from the inner rim of the pan.
• Cover the crust with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 48 hours. You may also freeze for up to 2 months
• Have ready and refrigerated one batch of foolproof all-butter pie crust.
• Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside until needed.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pie dough into a 12-inch circle.
• Using a pizza cutter or pastry roller, slice the dough into 10 strips (the width of the strips is totally up to you. I prefer medium strips so I usually slice them between an inch and an inch and a half wide). Lay the strips on the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate until needed.
• Combine the cherries, cornstarch, sugar, salt, vanilla, almond extract, and lemon juice in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer, stirring almost constantly, until the mixture starts to thicken - about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook for another 2 minutes before removing from the heat. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and cool to room temperature.
• In a small bowl, beat together the egg and water until well combined. Set aside until needed.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F).
• Remove the crust and lattice strips from the refrigerator.
• Using a rubber spatula, scrape the cherry pie filling into the pie crust shell. Top with cubes of butter.
• Lay 6 of the strips parallel on top of the filling, leaving about 1/2-inch between each strip. Fold back every other strip, then place another strip of dough perpendicular to the strips. Unfold the folded strips so they lay over the perpendicular strip. Continue this layering process, weaving the strips over and under each other.
• Trim the edges of the strips, leaving about 1/2 inch overhang. Roll the excess dough up so it's tightly sitting on the edge of the pie plate, then crimp the edges to secure the strips with the bottom pie crust.
• Brush the edges of the crust with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar, if using.
• Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees (F) and continue baking for 50 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling.
• Place pie plate on a wire rack and cool for at least 2 hours before slicing.

FIRST SNOW CHERRY PIE WITH SNOWFLAKE SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder and butter in a food processor. Pulse until the consistency of fine meal. Add 4 tablespoons water and pulse until the dough begins to come together. Pinch the dough with your fingers; if it doesn't hold together, add a tablespoon of water at a time, pulsing between additions, until it does.
• Turn the dough onto a floured surface and work it until it just comes together.
• Form the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic and place it in the refrigerator to chill at least 20 minutes.
• Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1/8 inch thick. Transfer it to a 9-inch pie plate. Roll or trim the edges as you like.
• Line the dough with parchment and fill with pie weights. Bake until set, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights from the crust.
• For the filling: In a large saucepan, combine the cranberries, cherries, apples, sugar, orange juice and zest and cinnamon. Bring to a simmer and cook until the cranberries pop and the cherries and apples are soft. Be careful to not cook the apple to mush. If using frozen cranberries and cherries, hold the apples until the last 5 minutes and then add them. Thicken by stirring in the cornstarch mixture. Stir for 1 minute. Stir in the brandy and remove from the heat.
• To make the pie: Fill the pie crust with the pie filling. Bake until bubbling, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool to just warm or room temperature. Top with the Sugar Cookies.
• For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter, flour, sugar, vanilla and eggs on medium speed until well combined. Flatten the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic. Chill in the refrigerator, at least 20 minutes.
• Roll out the dough to desired thickness. Cut out cookies with your favorite cookie cutter.
• Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until slightly crisp on the edges, 9 to 11 minutes; adjust for thickness.
• Let cool, then decorate as desired.

CHERRY PIE FILLING

Steps:

• Pit your cherries and place them in a medium saucepan with the water. Place over medium-low heat and cover. Bring to a boil and cook until the cherries start to soften and release their juices, about 10-15 minutes.
• Make a cornstarch slurry: add the cornstarch with an additional 1/4 cup of COLD water to a small bowl and stir with a spoon.
• Add the lemon juice if you feel the mixture is too sweet (see note).
• Stir the sugar into the cherries, then add the cornstarch slurry. Stir continuously while the mixture thickens, which will happen fast.
• Remove the cherries from the heat and place in a bowl or large jar. Cool to room temperature then chill until ready to use. You can also freeze. Will last up to 4 days in the refrigerator

CHAMPION CHERRY PIE

Steps:

• 1. For the cherry filling: Mix all ingredients and set aside while making crusts.
• 2. For the crust: Dice the margarine and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture.
• 3. Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the margarine and shortening.
• 4. Pulse 8 to 12 times, until the margarine is the size of peas.
• 5. With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball.
• 6. Dump out onto a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• 7. Cut the dough in half. Roll each piece on a well-floured board into a circle, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn't stick to the board. Spray the bottom of a pie pan with PAM Bakers. Fold the dough in half, place in pie pan. Repeat rolling process for the top crust.
• 8. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour on the inside of the bottom crust.
• 9. Fill crust with cherry mixture.
• 10. Put other crust on top of the pie. Fold top crust slightly under bottom crust all around the edge of the pie. Add cherry crust cut-outs to edges of the pan. With extra crusts, make some cherry cut-outs and put them in a circle in the middle of the pie. Trim pie around the edges.
• 11. Beat one egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush mixture over pastry and edges. Sprinkle with sugar.
• 12. Take a sharp knife and make four slits in the pastry to let out the steam.
• 13. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees, then turn oven down to 350 degrees for the remaining 45-55 minutes.
• 14. If edges start to brown too quickly, place aluminum foil over them. Pie is done when golden brown and some filling may be bubbling out.

CLASSIC CHERRY PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• For the crust: Blend shortening, flour, powdered sugar, butter and salt. Cut flour until it resembles cornmeal. Beat egg, blend in vinegar and water, and sprinkle over flour mixture. Toss with fork. Chill before rolling, about 1 hour. Makes 2 (9-inch pie crusts).
• For the filling: In a large size bowl, mix together all ingredients and pour into the pie shell. Cover with top crust and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for 45 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.