Cherry Pie
with Spiced Balsamic Filling
THE RECIPE
INGREDIENTS:
- For pie crust:
- 16 Tbsp Butter
- 2 1/2 Cups Flour
- 1/8 Cup Sugar
- 3/4 tsp Salt
- 1 Tbsp Large-grain sugar
- For filling:
- 1/4 Cup Brown sugar
- 1/8 Cup Granulated sugar
- 1/8 Cup Flour
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 lb Cherries, pitted
- 2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 tsp Cornstarch
- For surface prep:
- Flour
- From your pantry:
- 1 Egg
ABOUT THE RECIPE:
In this modern twist on classic cherry pie, balsamic-cinnamon filling adds a tart and tangy kick. It's perfect for a summer BBQ.
PURE, BUTTER CRUST
At Red Velvet, we believe in baking with natural ingredients. When it comes to making pie crust, we use all-butter dough, no shortening.
BAKING ADVICE:
When making pie dough, it's important that butter stays cold to ensure a flaky crust. If it softens on the counter, stick it in the fridge for a few minutes. If it warms up as you roll out the dough, you’ll need to chill it along the way. Chunks of cold butter in the dough are okay - they make the crust puff up deliciously.
BAKING HACKS
Don't have a cookie cutter? Don't fret. Use a sharp knife to carve out shapes in your dough.
You can use a clean wine bottle (without any labels) instead of a rolling pin.
If you want to make your pie dough in advance, just follow steps 1 and 2, then leave your dough in the fridge for up to 3 days. Don't freeze it.
YOUR INGREDIENTS
STEP 1
Wow, you’ve got some beautiful ingredients! Once you’ve unpacked your Red Velvet kit, Wow, you’ve got some beautiful ingredients! Once you’ve unpacked your Red Velvet kit, dice butter into 16 tablespoons and place back in refrigerator until ready to use. Fill a liquid measuring cup with cold water, add 3 or 4 ice cubes, and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour (for crust), sugar (for crust), and salt (for crust). Add the cold butter pieces, using your hands to work them into the flour. The dough will start to look very flaky.
STEP 2
Slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup of the ice water (without ice cubes) over butter-flour mixture. Continue mixing with your hands, bringing the dough together. This will happen quickly so don't over-knead! Your dough will look marbled from the big chunks of cold butter. Divide the dough in half and wrap each in plastic. Press down gently and shape into disks. Place in fridge to chill for at least one hour.
STEP 3
In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar (for filling), flour (for filling), black pepper, cinnamon, and salt (for filling). Toss in the cherries. In a small bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar, vanilla extract, and cornstarch, whisking until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Pour over the cherries and mix to combine. Set aside to macerate. After at least 1 hour of chilling, remove one disk of dough from your fridge (you will roll out the second disk once done with the first). Preheat oven to 375°F.
STEP 4
Clear off a surface away from any heat, remove plastic wrap, and generously flour your work area (with flour for exactly this). Using a rolling pin, start to roll dough from the center towards the edges. Roll it a few times in one direction, lift up dough and rotate it a quarter-turn. Continue to do this a few times until the dough is even in thickness. Re-flour the counter and the top of the dough as needed (there should be no bits of dough on the counter and none should stick to your pin). You'll know if the disk is large enough when you invert the pie dish and the dough extends 1 inch on all sides.
STEP 5
Carefully, transfer rolled dough into a 9" pie dish, pressing it into the corners of the pan and releasing any air bubbles. Once in place, press down firmly on the edges (scalloped or flat), and trim any excess that is hanging over using a knife. Place in fridge to chill. Roll out second disk using the same method as the first. When it's the right size, use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes from the dough and create a design. Remove chilled pie dish, spoon filling into it, and carefully transfer decorative top onto base.
STEP 6
Press down on all edges to "seal" the halves together. Place in fridge to chill once more. Remove 1 egg from your refrigerator. Crack into a small bowl, and add 2 tablespoons of room temperature water, mixing until incorporated. Using a brush, "wash" the top of the pie, coating every nook and cranny. Sprinkle with large-grain sugar and bake for 28 to 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven, let cool slightly, and serve. Maybe even à la mode!
