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Double-Crust Sweet Cherry Pie
Two red plums process with one cup of cherries into a smooth puree that concentrates the fruit flavor and gives the filling a deeper color than cherries alone can provide. The remaining two and a half pounds of halved fresh cherries stir in with ground instant tapioca, lemon juice, sugar, and optional bourbon, then rest 15 minutes before filling the crust. Ground tapioca sets the juices without the cloudy finish of cornstarch. Serves eight — allow a full cooling period so each slice comes out clean.
Equipment
- Oven
- Food processor
- Pie dish
- Rolling Pin
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Foolproof All-Butter Dough for Double-Crust Pie
- 2 red plums, quartered and pitted
- 2½ pounds fresh sweet cherries, pitted and halved
- ½ cup (3½ ounces) sugar
- 2 tablespoons instant tapioca, ground
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons bourbon (optional)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch pieces
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water
- 2. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Process plums and 1 cup cherries in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Strain puree through fine-mesh strainer into large bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Stir remaining cherries; sugar; tapioca; lemon juice; bourbon, if using; salt; and cinnamon, if using, into puree. Let stand for 15 minutes.
Instructions
- 1Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and preheat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a food processor, blend the plums and 1 cup of cherries until smooth, about 1 minute.
- 2Strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, pressing to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids. Stir in the remaining cherries, sugar, ground tapioca, lemon juice, bourbon, salt, and cinnamon. Let the filling rest for 15 minutes. Don't skip this resting time, as it helps the tapioca hydrate and thicken the juices.
- 3Pour the cherry mixture into a dough-lined pie plate and scatter the diced butter over the top.
- 4Carefully roll the second round of dough around a rolling pin and drape it over the cherry filling. Trim the edges so there is a 1/2-inch overhang beyond the rim of the pie plate.
- 5Press the edges of the top and bottom crusts together to seal them. Fold the overhanging dough under itself so the edge sits flush with the rim of the plate.
- 6Crimp the sealed edges of the dough with your fingers. Cut eight 1-inch vents into the top crust to allow steam to escape. Brush the entire surface with the beaten egg and water mixture, then place the pie in the freezer for 20 minutes. Chilling the dough before baking prevents the crust from shrinking in the oven.
- 7Transfer the chilled pie to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust turns a light golden brown.
- 8Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Rotate the baking sheet and continue baking for another 35 to 50 minutes until the fruit juices bubble vigorously and the crust develops a deep golden brown color. Remove the pie from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack. Let it cool completely for 2 to 3 hours so the filling can set and thicken before slicing.
Notes
- Make ahead: You can prepare the pie dough up to 2 days in advance and keep it wrapped tightly in the fridge.
- Storage: Keep leftover pie loosely covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Tip: Pitting cherries can be messy. Wear an apron and pit them directly over a bowl to catch all the flavorful juices.
- Swap: If you don't have bourbon, you can substitute it with a splash of vanilla extract or simply omit it.
