Bitter Cherry Pie – My Baking Habit

Made with tart cherries and flaky pie crust, bitter cherry pie is the final word summer season pie. Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to savor each chew of the season.

One factor we do rather well right here within the Midwest is summer season produce. From the perfect candy corn to the juiciest strawberries and blueberries, our farmers positive know what they’re doing.

Many of the nation’s tart cherries come out of Michigan. In case you dwell in Michigan or one of many neighboring states, you most likely have seen piles of those brilliant pink beauties at your farmers’ markets.

This 12 months, be sure you seize some and convey them dwelling to make this bitter cherry pie. 

Bitter cherries vs. candy cherries

I’ve been utilizing my home made cherry pie filling to make all the pieces from home made cherry pie to cherry crisp and cherry turnovers for years now. 

The one draw back to that pie filling is that it makes use of candy cherries. And whereas candy cherries are nice and simple to search out at most grocery shops in the course of the summer season, bitter cherries are a seasonal favourite for a lot of of us.

So what’s the distinction between bitter cherries and candy cherries?

Candy cherries, comparable to Bing or Rainier cherries, are massive and sometimes are a deep pink colour or a golden-pink colour. They’re what you’ll most frequently discover in American grocery shops. 

Because the title suggests, candy cherries have a really candy taste and a agency texture. They’re improbable for snacking – I can’t get sufficient of them in the course of the summer season months!

Bitter cherries, also called tart cherries, are brilliant pink with a much less agency texture. And, because the title tells us, they’ve a extra tart taste than candy cherries.

Most individuals don’t prefer to snack on bitter cherries, and because the fruit is extra delicate than candy cherries, they’re standard to cook dinner and bake with.

The tartness of bitter cherries provides an entire new taste profile to recipes like cherry clafoutis, cherry easy syrup, bitter cherry cobbler, and – in fact – bitter cherry pie. 

How one can make bitter cherry pie

Bitter cherry pie is the final word basic summer season dessert, particularly in case you’re from wherever close to Michigan, the place a lot of the nation’s bitter cherries are grown.

In case you grew up loving bitter cherry pies made by your grandma, you’re going to adore this nostalgic recipe. And even higher information, it’s simpler to make than you assume!

Elements you’ll want

To make my bitter cherry pie, you’ll want a couple of required components:

• 2 kilos recent or frozen tart/bitter cherries
• ½ cup water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pie crust for a 9-inch double-crust pie

In case you dwell in an space the place bitter cherries are grown, chances are high good that you just’ll be capable to discover some recent bitter cherries at your farmers’ markets beginning in June. 

In case you can’t discover any recent bitter cherries the place you reside, otherwise you’re craving bitter cherry pie in the course of winter, search for frozen pitted bitter cherries. They’ll work simply as nicely on this recipe as recent cherries!

Your pie crust is usually a home made pie crust, however it doesn’t should be. You should utilize your favourite store-bought pie crust, too. 

There are a pair extra components you should use to make your bitter cherry pie much more particular:

• ¼ teaspoon almond extract, so as to add to the filling
• Egg wash, for the crust
• Granulated sugar, for sprinkling on the crust

Cherries and almonds go nice collectively, so I like including a little bit of almond extract to my cherry recipes, comparable to cherry cheesecake and whipped cherry butter. It’s undoubtedly non-obligatory although, so be at liberty to depart it out in case you don’t like almond extract.

An egg wash and a sprinkle of sugar on high of the crust earlier than baking will give a glittery, fairly end to your pie.

Making bitter cherry pie

To make your bitter cherry pie, you first have to make the pie filling.

Add the cherries, water, lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch to a big saucepan over medium warmth. Carry the combination to a boil, then cut back the warmth to low and cook dinner, stirring incessantly, for 5-10 minutes.

The filling is finished when the cherries have launched their juice and the “goo” is thick and a transparent, deep pink colour.

Take away the pan from the warmth and add the vanilla and the almond extract, if utilizing.

Let the filling cool earlier than assembling the pie. You’ll be able to simply make the filling forward of time and retailer it within the fridge for as much as 3 days or within the freezer for a few months.

While you’re able to assemble the pie, preheat the oven to 425°F. Place one of many oven racks within the backside third of the oven, ideally on the bottom rack setting.

Roll half of the pie dough and place it in a 9-inch pie plate and trim the sides as wanted. Add the cherry filling to the pie crust. 

Roll the remaining dough till it’s sufficiently big to cowl the pie. Place it over the filling and seal and crimp the sides. You possibly can additionally do a lattice pie crust in case you like!

Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet. Whisk collectively the egg and water and gently brush it excessive of the pie, then sprinkle with the sugar. 

Lower vents into the highest of the pie with a pointy knife to permit steam to flee.

Bake the pie at 425°F for quarter-hour. Leaving the oven closed, cut back the temperature to 350°F and proceed baking for 40-45 minutes, till the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly.

Let the pie cool for at the least 2 hours earlier than slicing.

Storage and freezing

Retailer leftover cherry pie within the fridge for as much as 3 days. You’ll be able to cowl it with plastic wrap, foil, or retailer it in a pie keeper.

If you wish to freeze your bitter cherry pie, I like to recommend both freezing the filling or freezing the assembled, however unbaked, pie.

In case you freeze the entire pie, ensure that to make use of a metallic or disposable pie pan. Assemble the pie however skip the egg wash. Place it within the freezer for 2-3 hours, or till frozen strong.

Wrap the frozen pie in plastic wrap, then heavy-duty foil. Freeze for 2-3 months.

While you’re able to bake the pie, unwrap it whereas the oven preheats. Brush with the egg wash. Bake on the directed temperatures. You’ll seemingly want so as to add an additional 20-Half-hour of additional time on the finish because the pie was frozen.

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