American Pie Council

Sensational Cherry Pie

Sensational Cherry Pie
2004 American Pie Council Crisco® National Pie Championships
2nd Place Fruit/Berry
Kathleen A. Costello, Tallmadge, OH

Pie Dough (makes enough for two crusts
1 1/2 cups Crisco® Butter Flavored Shortening
1/2 cup sugar
2 TBS almond extract
1 egg (beaten)
2 1/4 cups flour
Stir Crisco, almond extract, sugar and beaten egg until creamy. Add flour. Do not overmix dough, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes in refrigerator.

Filling
1 1/2 cups sugar
pinch of salt
5 TBS cornstarch
1/2 cup water from cherries
4 cups cherries (canned cherries in water, reserve 1/2 cup water and drain the rest)
2 tsp caramel syrup In saucepan add, sugar, salt, cornstarch and water. Cook over medium heat and stir until cornstarch is dissolved. Add cherries and caramel syrup, stirring occasionally and continue to cook until mixture becomes thick and clear. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Lightly grease pie pan with Crisco Butter Flavored Shortening.
Remove dough from refrigerator and take half from bowl, form a ball and lightly flour.
Lightly flour your work surface and hands, flatten the dough and sprinkle a little flour on top and roll dough out to form a circle. Line bottom of pie pan with dough and poke holes in dough with fork. Brush pie dough lightly with beaten egg white.

Place cherry filling in prepared pie shell, put top crust on pie and crimp edges. Place small slits in top of pie for steam to escape. Beat 1 egg white until foamy and brush top of pie. Lightly sprinkle sugar on top of pie.

Optional decorative cherries for top of pie

Take a small amount of left over pie dough and add several drops of red food coloring in center and mix well. Make 3 or more small marble sized balls and place on top of pie. Mix small amount of cocoa to dough to make stems and place under each cherry. Use 2 TBS of dough and place several drops of green food coloring in center and mix well. Press dough out flat and cut out leaves using knife. Before placing pie in oven put aluminum foil around crimped pie edge to prevent form over browning. Spray the inner side of the foil with cooking spray first to prevent sticking when removing the foil. 10 minutes before pie is finished, remove foil.

Bake pie for 40-45 minutes.