NEVER FAIL PASTRY FOR CHERRY PIE

With one cherry tree being ready to pick while the cherries on the second tree were not quite ready, I have been steadily processing cherries.   After washing the cherries, I start to pit them.  In a blog that I posted last year, I provided pictures of the cherry pitter.  It is a manual pitter and does one cherry at a time.  Instead of making jam, I decided to pit all of the cherries that I had picked one week to make a pie and freeze the rest in four cup portions.  With lots of arm action, almost 14 cups of pitted cherries were processed.  

In making the pie I looked for my standby pie crust recipe on the Crisco container.  The recipe on the back didn't include vinegar and egg but the standard water, flour and shortening.   I went looking for a new pastry recipe and found one on allrecipes.com.  The pie crust and pie turned out wonderful.  The pie crust was flaky and tender.  The pastry includes an egg yolk, sugar, salt, vanilla extract and baking powder.  I never have used baking powder before in a pie crust.  The DH who is an expert on pies, says the pie crust and the pie was pretty good. 

Vegetable shortening added to flour mixture.

Mixing up the liquid ingredients.

Shortening is cut into the flour mixture.

I cut the dough into two halves and wrap each half with saran wrap prior to chilling.

I roll the dough out on parchment paper.  You can also use wax paper.  Less mess to clean up on the counter.

Rolling out the dough.

I like using deep dish pie plates.

To make the pie filling I mix 4 cups of pitted cherries with 1 cup of sugar, 3 tbsp of small minute tapioca and 1 tsp almond extract.

Cherry pie filling added to pie shell.

Out of the oven after baking for 40 minutes.  First 10 minutes at 425 degrees F and then 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

The first slice eaten by the DH.

 Yields 1 double crust

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon white sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup shortening

1/3 cup cold water

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal.

In a separate bowl, whisk together water, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Stir into flour mixture and knead dough briefly, just until smooth. Allow to rest 15 minutes before rolling out. Place in the freezer for 15 or 20 minutes. Pastry is easier to work with when chilled. Can be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Pastry recipe from allrecipes.com