Dessert-Bar Apple-Cherry Pie
Submitted by aussiedelight67
Apple-cherry pie with a flaky shortening crust, quick tapioca thickener, and a nutmeg-sugar finish. The tart cherries brighten up classic apple pie in a way plain apples never do.
YIELD
1 piePREP
20 minCOOK
50 minREADY
1 hrsApple pie is familiar. Apple-cherry pie is memorable. The cherries cut through the sweetness of the apples with enough acidity to keep every bite interesting, and they tint the whole filling a beautiful ruby color once the pie bakes.
Quick-cooking tapioca is the thickener here, and it’s a better choice than cornstarch for fruit pies with lots of juice. It sets into a glossy, spoonable filling rather than a gloppy one, and it doesn’t turn cloudy when reheated the next day. Letting the fruit mixture sit for 20 minutes before filling the crust gives the tapioca a head start on absorbing that liquid.
The pastry is old-school, built with vegetable shortening for flake and just enough ice water to pull it together. Milk-brushed and sprinkled with sugar and nutmeg, the crust browns into something worth eating on its own.
Chef Tips
- Tart apples like Granny Smith or Braeburn work best. Sweet apples get lost behind the cherries.
- Cover the edges with foil for the first 25 minutes. Pie crust edges burn fast, and nothing ruins a pretty pie faster.
- Watch for bubbling filling, not just golden crust. A pie that isn’t actively bubbling in the center hasn’t fully thickened the tapioca.
- Cool at least 2 hours before slicing. Cutting hot means filling that runs everywhere.
Variations
- Swap sweet cherries for sour Montmorency cherries and bump the sugar to 1¼ cups for a more traditional cherry-pie balance.
- Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon to the filling for a warmer spice profile.
- Try a crumb topping instead of lattice: flour, brown sugar, butter, and oats rubbed together by hand.
Ingredients
Directions
Thaw the frozen cherries; do not drain off the juice.
In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup sugar and the tapioca.
Add the undrained cherries and the apples, tossing to coat.
Let stand for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pastry: Preheat the oven to 375℉ (190℃).
In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour and salt.
Cut in the shortening until the pieces are the size of small peas.
Sprinkle the water, one tablespoon at a time, over part of the flour; toss gently with a fork.
Push to the side of the bowl.
Repeat until all is moistened.
Divide the dough in half. Form each half into a ball.
For the bottom crust, on a lightly floured surface, flatten one ball of dough and roll into a 12-inch circle.
Line a 9-inch pie plate with the pastry.
Trim the pastry to the edge of the pie plate.
Roll out the remaining pastry for the top crust; cut into strips for a lattice crust or cut slits for the steam to escape.
Spoon the filling into the pie crust; dot with the butter or margarine.
Add the top crust, trimming 1-inch beyond the edge of the pie plate.
Fold until the edge.
Seal and flute. Brush the top crust with milk. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar and the nutmeg.
Cover the edge of the pie with foil to prevent overbrowning.
Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and return to the oven for 20 to 25 minutes more, or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly.
Cool on a wire rack.
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