Description
Alton Brown’s cherry pie masterpiece blends tart cherries with a flaky, buttery crust. Sweet-tangy filling nestles between golden pastry layers, promising a classic American dessert that delights you with each delectable slice.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (480 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (240 ml) shortening, chilled
- 2 cups (340 g) pitted sour cherries
- 1 ¼ cups (250 g) white sugar
- 10 tsps (15 g) cornstarch
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter
- ½ cup (120 ml) cold water
- 1 pinch salt
- ¼ tsp (1 ml) almond extract
Instructions
- Dough Preparation: Mix flour and salt in a large bowl, then integrate shortening using pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Dough Chilling: Add ice-cold water to form a compact dough, divide into two disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes to relax gluten.
- Crust Shaping: Roll out each dough disk into 11-inch circles, transferring one to a 9-inch pie dish and placing the second on a chilled baking sheet.
- Filling Development: Combine cherries, cornstarch, and sugar in a non-aluminum saucepan, allowing natural juices to emerge, then cook on medium heat until juices thicken and become translucent.
- Flavor Enhancement: Remove filling from heat, fold in unsalted butter and almond extract, then cool to room temperature.
- Pie Assembly: Spread cooled cherry filling evenly in bottom crust, cover with top crust, trim excess dough, crimp edges, and cut steam vents.
- Baking Process: Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius, place pie on preheated baking tray, and bake 45-55 minutes until crust turns golden-brown and filling bubbles slightly.
- Cooling and Serving: Remove pie from oven and allow to cool completely for 2-3 hours before slicing to ensure proper texture and setting.
Notes
- Keep Dough Cold: Refrigerate dough disks for 30-60 minutes to relax gluten, ensuring a flaky, tender crust that doesn’t shrink during baking.
- Prevent Soggy Bottom: Preheat a baking tray in the oven to crisp up the bottom crust, preventing a wet, unappetizing pie base.
- Control Cherry Moisture: Let cherries rest with sugar and cornstarch to release natural juices, helping create a perfectly thickened, non-runny filling.
- Steam Vent Strategy: Cut small vents in the top crust to release steam, preventing a soggy top and allowing the pie to bake evenly and beautifully.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 23 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg