When I promised my husband I’d make him a homemade pie for the next 12 months as his birthday gift, I wondered if I could manage. The last time I made pie crust it sank down in the pan and tasted horrible; I certainly didn’t want my husband’s birthday gift(s) to taste bad.

Although late, I figured best to still post about his first pie before I post this month’s apple pie!

Before I get to the recipe and the pie itself, remember the first attempt for the cherry pie last month and how it tanked? And I ended up buying one for the day of his birthday so he didn’t go without?

Look at that pretty pie! I commented to Jon how her pies alone in looks blew the ones from our wedding out of the water–wish I knew about her bakery a year ago. Not only pretty in looks the pie was tasty too. So much so it only lasted two days. That’s what happens when my husband consumes a slice for breakfast and a slice for dessert after dinner until the thing is gone.

But back to my pie attempt el número dos…

I took a chance on the pie the same weekend Jon’s parents were coming down for dinner on a Sunday evening. I wanted/needed a success coming from my kitchen oven, not a dud! Success meant a flaky crust and a delicious filling. But then who wouldn’t agree!

So let’s get to it.

What you need to know about this pie: This is not a typical cherry pie. Most people expect a tart cherry pie with a bit of sourness to it. That is not this pie. A lot of people expect the typical cherry goo from a can for filling with the perfect, bright, red cherries. This is not that kind of pie. Instead there’s a nice, subtle sweetness. The real sweetness you get from a cherry, not doused in sugar.

About those cherries. All I could find were fresh Bing cherries. We were nearing the end of cherry season and I didn’t buy enough so I used some fresh and some frozen. Since we are into October now you’ll need to use frozen if you want to make the pie in the coming months. Not a bad thing, frozen fruit comes just after fresh in my book. Way before the canned stuffed. If you do buy frozen see if the bag contains various sweet cherries for a variety, couldn’t hurt!

Another thing, this pie is a labor of love. From all the pie crust steps (so worth it though!) to depiting the cherries. Commit a weekend afternoon to it because in my world this pie doesn’t happen on a weeknight.

Using frozen cherries? Make sure to measure out the amount while the cherries are still frozen. Once measured let them thaw before baking, cut the cherries in half (if not already bought that way) and drain off some of the liquid.

Using fresh cherries? I’m so sorry, but you’ll need to depit the cherries and then cut them in half. I don’t own a cherry pitter to easily pop out the pits so I improvised: dark (ugly) apron you don’t mind staining, a cutting board, pairing knife and an 1/8 tsp metal measuring spoon. Latex gloves are a plus also, if you have them, so you don’t look like you’ve been knuckle deep in cherry Kool-aide.

There’s a great YouTube video about depiting cherries four different ways. I didn’t have a pitter or a paperclip, and I didn’t want to mash my pretty cherries into a mangled mess, so my only option was the cut and pop method. My method was a tad bit different than the one in the video, read along if you’d like or watch the video.

• Step 1: Music playing in the kitchen!
• Step 2: Wash the cherries off in a colander under running cold water.
• Step 3: Pluck all the stems off and tossed the cherries into a large bowl.
• Step 4: Place a cherry on the cutting board and using the paring knife slice down until you feel the pit and then roll the cherry so the knife cuts all the way around. Cutting in this manner reminds me of how I cut an avocado in half. Plus, I prevent cutting myself with the knife if I don’t hold the tiny cherry in my fingers.
• Step 5: Grab the cherry on both sides and twist the cherry halves in opposite directions.
• Step 6: Use an 1/8 tsp metal measuring spoon (perfect size!) to dig in. Face the cut side of the cherry (with that pit) into the bowl and pop out the pit, minimizes the cherry juice splatter.

If you wish to save the cherry pits and make a heating/cooling pillow, that’s a nice plus for all your hard work.

After that mess I could get to work!

This is a pie dough made using a food processor. I had never tried this method before and was hesitant; however, my last attempt using my hands to blend the fats and flour together resulted in warm dough and thus cause for my failed crust.

Start with cold butter, shortening and liquids. Place them in the freezer for about 30 minutes prior to starting.

You want no uncoated flour and a cottage cheese curd looking dough. Sounds yummy doesn’t it?!

Time for the secret … vodka. Yup. Vodka! Any vodka brand will work, nothing fancy. I bought this small bottle for like $4.50. I’ll probably invest in a larger bottle next time, not like it’ll go bad or anything, since I plan to make so many more pies!

Do not leave out the vodka if you plan to use this recipe. Just don’t do it.

After you dump the dry contents from the food processor to the bowl you’ll sprinkle in the water and vodka. Combing the ingredients by folding together and pressing down on the dough. Stop once all combined and dough is a little raggy and feels tacky. The dough will be very soft like cookie dough almost.

Divide dough into two equal amounts, flatten into about a 4″ round disk shape and wrap with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for at least 45 minutes, yup, that long, and you can even make the dough ahead of time and keep it for two days before using. Note: When making a sweet cherry pie with Bing cherries you don’t want to make a lattice crust. The lattice will let too much moisture escape and a double crust is a better choice.

While the dough is chilling wash your food processor bowl and blade because you’ll need it again.

Break time! Go read a magazine or do something for the next 45 minutes–set a timer. This is a time intensive pie crust but I swear it’s worth it.

You’ll need a good amount of flour sprinkled on the counter to prevent sticking. This dough isn’t as dry as most so don’t be a chicken and let the flour rain! Take one dough disk out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes, just a few though. Unlike many “doughs” of any kind, this recipe doesn’t bounce back and require resting to keep it’s shape when you roll out.

Rub a little flour on your rolling pin and sprinkle a bit on top of the dough disk. Again, don’t worry, the flour is your friend! If the crust does tear it’s not the end of the world, patch it up, everything will be alright. I had to, see on the lower left?! Once the filling is added and the top crust is placed on top you won’t be able to tell, especially after baking.

Since I was the only one around I couldn’t roll, handle dough and flour, wash hands, take a photo and all that business so I skipped photos. I like to document and help ya’ll out but I just couldn’t do it at that point.

Rolling tips: Roll out away from you, turn the disk a quarter turn, roll out and away, turn and keep going. The disk will pick up a bit of flour underneath with the turning and every time you roll and turn will help maintain a circle shape–exactly why you form the disk shape at the beginning! If you notice the dough is starting to stick then throw some more flour under the disk and keep going. If the dough won’t pull up because it’s stuck–well, then get out a knife and edge it under the dough (trying not to tear) or use a bench scraper to get under the dough. Flour is your friend and prevents that from happening again.

Place the dough into the plate and guess what time it is, again? Back into the fridge for 40 minutes so the dough can set up once more. It’s very important to keep the dough chilled until it enters the oven, again, flakiness.

While the dough chills for a second time, pull together your pie filling ingredients.

Another strange ingredient you may not expect, red plums.

The sight of the red plums and deep red cherries made me smile. The colors were so pretty!

::wurrrrrrrrrrr::

In an instant the plums and cherries became a smooth and pretty mixture. And my goodness did the mixture smell good! I’ll have to remember the combination for smoothies next year.

Whip out the strainer and push on the solids to express the juice through. You’ll need around 3/4 cup of the liquid, don’t worry, you’ll have excess. You don’t want to use all of the liquid because the cherries are also juicy while the pie bakes and if your filling is too wet then you’ll have a soggy bottom crust–no bueno.

Right about now you’ll need to grind your instant tapioca to a powder using a coffee grinder. I bet if you have a mortar and pestle that will work too. I have neither. I’m so prepared! So instead I just threw the tapioca into the bowl hoping it would dissolve like I needed it to and help thicken the filling. I highly suggest grinding if you can but my pie came out just fine without doing so, your call.

Combine all the cherries and other filling ingredients into a large bowl and let it set up for about 15 minutes. While that sits pull out the other disk of cold pie dough and roll out like before to make the top for the crust.

Remove the chilled pie plate from the fridge and set on the counter. Carefully spoon the filling into the pie plate. Don’t forget the butter pieces! Next time I’m cutting them into smaller chunks so I can spread out a little more.

Top off with the crust you just rolled out and flute the edges. The easiest way is with a fork, simple and done. But I wanted to try my hand using my fingers to make a pretty edge. Ehh, it came out okay, more practice needed!

Make up an egg wash with an egg and a little water and brush on top. I was a little overzealous with the wash but oh well. The crust was browned and golden when done and looked so pretty! Don’t forget to cut 8-9 slits in the pie to vent. You need a way for the steam to escape so you don’t have a squishy pie.

And for 10 points, can you guess again what you need to do with the pie plate? Uh, back into the fridge? Nope, close! Put the pie in the freezer for 20 minutes (dont’ forget to set a timer) on a level surface. If you can’t use your freezer then the fridge will do but leave it in there a tad bit longer.

After 20 minutes pull the pie from the freezer and transfer straight onto the baking sheet in the oven.

And now you wait an agonizing hour. An hour!

After I shut the door I told Jon if the pie tastes like shit then I’ll probably burst into tears over all the work I put into the damn thing. Apparently I have a slight sailor mouth when I’m in the kitchen.

When the aroma began to drift through the house I stuck my head out the door to the backyard and called to my husband, “Come sniff the kitchen!” He couldn’t smell very well due to all the yard work he was doing–congested. I pulled him closer to the oven and told him to sniff over the oven vent at the back of the stove–yes, I did this I was so excited–and he said it smelled amazing! AH! Amazing?

I turned on the oven light and leaned over to see a beautiful little golden pie. I didn’t even need my crust saver dealy thing to prevent the crust edge from over browning.

My thin spot caused the filling to ooze out on one side on the top. Not ideal but I didn’t care, the pie was so pretty! Due to my heavy handed egg wash, apparently I thought I was dousing a turkey with drippings, the crust was extremely golden. Unlike that peach galette I made and the recipe didn’t call for a wash and I forgot to put some on.

When my in-laws arrived my mother-in-law’s jaw just about hit the floor. I’d never made a pie before, but that’s not what she was surprised about. She wanted to know how I made such a flaky crust!

The pie was a huge success and I couldn’t stop smiling. I was so happy with myself and thrilled to make my husband a belated birthday pie that he devoured with a smile accompanying each bite. My mother-in-law actually told me she hadn’t had such flaky crust since her own mother’s baking days, some 33 odd years ago or more. Besides Jon’s smiles that was the best compliment ever!

SWEET CHERRY PIE

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

Print recipe!

Pie Dough Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces
• 1/4 cup cold vodka
• 1/4 cup cold water

Cherry Filling Ingredients

• 2 red plums, halved and pitted
• 6 cups (about 2 pounds) pitted sweet cherries or 6 cups pitted frozen cherries, halved
• 1/2 cup sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
• 1/8 teaspoon table salt
• 1 tablespoon juice from one lemon
• 2 teaspoons bourbon (optional)
• 2 tablespoons instant tapioca, ground
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water

Pie Dough Instructions

1. Combine 1½ cups of the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor until combined, about two 1-second pulses.
2. Add butter and shortening; process until all flour is uncoated and resembles cottage cheese curds in uneven clumps, around 15 seconds. If the dough accumulates on one side of processor, scrape bowl with spatula and redistribute dough around processor blade.
3. Add remaining 1 cup of flour and pulse until dough is evenly spread around bowl and the mass of dough is broken up, about 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty dough mixture into medium bowl.
4. Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With spatula, use a folding and pressing down motion to mix until slightly tacky and the dough sticks together.
5. Divide dough into 2 equal balls and flatten each down into a 4-inch disk. Cover each with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days if making ahead of time.
6. Take 1 disk of dough from refrigerator and roll out on generously floured (up to ¼ cup) work surface to 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick.
7. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin (like your rolling up a burrito) and unroll into pie plate. Leave at least 1-inch overhang. Gently ease dough into plate by lifting edge of dough with one hand while pressing into plate bottom with other hand. Be careful not to tear the dough.
8. Refrigerate until dough is firm, about 40 minutes.

Filling Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to the lowest position and place baking sheet on oven rack, heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Process plums in food processor with 1 cup of the halved cherries until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl if needed.
3. Position fine-mesh strainer over large bowl and pour puree through, pressing on solids to extract liquid; discard solids. Retain 3/4 cup of the liquid.
4. Stir remaining halved cherries, sugar, salt, lemon juice, bourbon (if using), tapioca, and cinnamon into puree; let stand for 15 minutes.
5. Remove pie plate from fridge and transfer cherry mixture, including the juices, to dough-lined pie plate. Scatter butter pieces over fruit.
6. Remove second disk of dough from fridge and roll out just as before. Flute edges or use a fork to press crust edges together and seal.
7. Mix one egg and one teaspoon of water to make an egg wash and brush top and edges of the crust.
8. With a sharp knife, make 8-9 evenly spaced 1-inch-long vents in top crust.
9. Freeze pie 20 minutes.
10. Remove pie from freezer and place directly on preheated baking sheet and bake 30 minutes.
11. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake until juices bubble and crust is deep golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes longer.
12. Remove pie from oven and place on wire rack; let cool to room temperature and allow juices to thicken, 2 to 3 hours.
13. Cut into wedges, serve and enjoy!