Champion Cherry Pie

Name: Champion Cherry Pie
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 2 h 25 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: CRUST; 12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) very cold margarine; 3 c all-purpose flour; 1 tsp salt; 1/3 c very cold crisco shortening; 6 to 8 Tbsp (about 1/2 cup) ice water; CHERRY FILLING; 4 c pitted cherries; 3 Tbsp minute tapioca; 3/4 c sugar; 1/4 tsp almond extract

By Judi Harris-Nulle
@winningrecipes

I made this for the Jefferson County Fair in Boulder, MT this past weekend (8/27/11). It won a Champion ribbon.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

We can see why this is a champion cherry pie. It is sweet and tart, with a soft oozing cherry center... just heavenly. The golden and flaky crust is also pretty easy to make. A great dessert when fresh cherries are in season. Yum! The Test Kitchen

Rating:

★★★★★ 2 votes5

Comments:

16 Comments

Serves:

Prep:

1 Hr 30 Min

Cook:

55 Min

Method:

Bake

Ingredients

CRUST
12 Tbsp

(1 1/2 sticks) very cold margarine
3 c

all-purpose flour
1 tsp

salt
1/3 c

very cold crisco shortening
6 to 8 Tbsp

(about 1/2 cup) ice water
CHERRY FILLING
4 c

pitted cherries
3 Tbsp

minute tapioca
3/4 c

sugar
1/4 tsp

almond extract
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How to Make Champion Cherry Pie

Step-by-Step

For the cherry filling: Mix all ingredients and set aside while making crusts.
For the crust: Dice the margarine and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture.
Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the margarine and shortening.
Pulse 8 to 12 times, until the margarine is the size of peas.
With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball.
Dump out onto a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Cut the dough in half. Roll each piece on a well-floured board into a circle, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn't stick to the board. Spray the bottom of a pie pan with PAM Bakers. Fold the dough in half, place in pie pan. Repeat rolling process for the top crust.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour on the inside of the bottom crust.
Fill crust with cherry mixture.
Put other crust on top of the pie. Fold top crust slightly under bottom crust all around the edge of the pie. Add cherry crust cut-outs to edges of the pan. With extra crusts, make some cherry cut-outs and put them in a circle in the middle of the pie. Trim pie around the edges.
Beat one egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush mixture over pastry and edges. Sprinkle with sugar.
Take a sharp knife and make four slits in the pastry to let out the steam.
Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees, then turn oven down to 350 degrees for the remaining 45-55 minutes.
If edges start to brown too quickly, place aluminum foil over them. Pie is done when golden brown and some filling may be bubbling out.