Be a Summer Superstar Cherry Pie

Become the superstar at the cookout parties this summer!  Serve this with vanilla ice cream to create your own piece of heaven.  Whether it's for Memorial Day, Independence Day, or just a family gathering the optional floral design will have everyone talking, get ready to take orders!

Pie Dough (if making flower design, make this recipe 1 1/2 times)

2 cups flour
2/3 cup shortening
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chilled water

Filling
26 oz frozen pitted dark sweet cherries
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamom (optional)
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

1 egg white, beaten (for glaze)
1/4 cup sugar

Make Pie Dough:
In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, & salt.  Cut shortening & butter into flour mixture with two knifes or pastry blender, until resembles course crumbs.  Drizzle water evenly over the crumb mixture.  Toss together with a fork until the crumbs begin to form a dough, the sides of the bowl should be clean.  Gently form the mixture with hands into a dough.  Divide into two evenly weighted portions.  Shape both portions into a disk.  Wrap in food grade plastic film and chill for 20 - 30 minutes before using.

Make Cherry Filling:
Spread the cherries out on a metal pan to completely thaw prior to using.  In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar and cornstarch.  Add the remaining ingredients and whisk together until the sugar is dissolved.  Gently toss the thawed cherries and any juice resulting from the fruit into the sugar mixture.  Let stand for 30 minutes prior to using.

Roll the Pie Dough & Make Lattice Top:
Roll out first dough disk to 12-inch circle for bottom crust.  Carefully roll up the bottom crust on rolling pin and transfer to a 9-inch pie plate.  Fill the pie with the cherry filling.  Roll out second dough disk to about 13-inch circle to make lattice top.  Cut into 12 even strips; placing six strips parallel about 1/2-inch apart.  Rotate pie 90-degrees and place the other six strips on top of pie in the same manner. 

There should be significant overhang from lattice strips.  Fold all unfinished edges under the bottom crust.  Crimp edges with fingers or fork tines to make decorative edge.

Make Flower Design (optional):
Use any remaining dough from scraps or make another 1/2 batch of dough.  Roll out in a rectangle and cut diagonally to create 12 "petals" (refer to diagram).



Diagram: How Cut Flower Petals

Place six to create the bottom layer of petals, evenly placed in the center of the pie.  Place six more on the six seams of the bottom layer to create an overlapping flower design.

Prepare for Baking:
Preheat oven to 400-degrees Fahrenheit.  Brush the pie with a pastry brush with beaten egg white, ensuring to cover the lattice, edges and floral design.  Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar on the top of the pie.  Next cut strips of foil about 1-inch thick and spray one side with non-stick oil.  Cover the outer crimp with the foil (the foil will reflect the heat to keep the edges from burning while the pie bakes).

Place pie in oven.  Bake for 20-minutes.  Remove pie from oven and take the foil strips off.  Return pie in oven and reduce heat to 375-degrees Fahrenheit.  Bake for another 40 minutes.  Place pie on cooling rack to cool completely before serving.

~ Smacznego! ~