Cherry Pie

So it probably wasn't the smartest idea to make a cherry pie on the hottest day ever, seeing as the oven makes the kitchen heaps hotter. We have our own cherry tree so whenever they are ready we pick them all and make a pie. Which is awesome because cherries are about $13 for a kilo, it is very pricey especially when you need a kilo of cherries for the pie. I made this pie once and every since I've made up my own recipe which I do a lot, I kind of just wing it. I hate making pastry, when I make my own it is never right so I always use Pampas Shortcrust pastry but I really couldn't be bothered going to the shops to buy some and I have everything I needed in my pantry to make my own.

So if you want to make this yourself this is what you will need and need to do;
Preheat oven 220 degrees and butter a pie tin.  
For the filling:

• 1kg of destoned cherries. Like I said luckily we have our own tree but if you don't want to spend the money on fresh cherries you can buy them in a can and the even better part of that is they are already destoned.
• 3/4 cup of caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp of mixed spice
• 2 tbsp of cornflour
• 2 tbsp of water

For the pastry I would highly suggest just using Pampas Shortcrust pastry but if you're feeling it, I'll give you a good pastry recipe I just used because I had no shortcrust pastry.
Pastry:

• 1 cup of plain flour
• 1/4tsp baking powder
• 1/2tsp mixed spice
• a bit of salt
• 1/4 caster sugar
• 50 grams of unsalted butter, make sure its at room temp and even slightly melted, but do not melt it in a microwave! Cut it up into squares.
• 1 egg beaten

 Sift flour, baking poweder and mixed spice. Stir in salt and sugar.  Rub butter in with fingers until it is all blended and kind of looks like breadcrumbs. Then make a well and add beaten egg. Stir with wooden spoon, shaped into ball and half it. Roll each half into balls and cover with glad wrap and refrigerate for 30 mins. After 30 mins roll out both balls and use one to cover the pie tin and the other cut into long strips to lattice the top.
For pampas just cover tin with pastry and slice another sheet into long strips for the top.

Before cooked

Destone cherries by cutting an 'x' into the tops of each cherry and push out stone. Try to keep the shape of the cherry. Be aware that it is very messy and may stain clothes. Half the cherries and put half into a saucepan with the sugar. Slowly heat it and stir until sugar dissolves. In a small bowl combine cornflour and water and add to cherries and sugar and stir until it boils and thickens. Once thickened take off heat and add the rest of cherries. Put filling into pie. Use the cut strips to lattice the top of pie. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes and take off foil and cook for another 15.
I didn't make enough pastry and had to use puff pastry I found in the freezer for the lattice so the final product won't look as good as it should, but it will still taste as good.





 

 Tastes AMAZING!