Cherry Almond Pie
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie
1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
Simple Pie Dough, recipe follows
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Garnish: fresh cherries
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. In a large bowl, stir together pie filling, orange zest, cinnamon, and extracts.
3. On a floured surface, roll one disk of Simple Pie Dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Trim excess dough from the edge of the pie plate. Pour filling mixture into prepared pie crust. Roll out remaining disk into a 12-inch circle, and place on top of filling. Trim excess dough from edge, and crimp top and bottom crusts together to seal.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and heavy cream, and brush top crust with mixture.
5. Bake 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Top with cherries, if desired.
TIP: To serve this pie whole and removed from pan, bake it in a 9-inch disposable aluminum foil pie pan, and let it cool completely. Gently loosen the pan from the pie, tilt it slightly, and slide the whole pie onto a serving plate.
Simple Pie Dough
Makes dough for 1 (9-inch)
double-crust pie
4 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons cold unsalted
butter, cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes
⅔ cup ice water
1. In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar, and salt. Add butter, and pulse until mixture is crumbly, about 20 seconds. With food processor running, add water in a slow steady stream until mixture forms a dough.
2. Divide dough in half, and shape each portion into a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap, and refrigerate 1 hour or until cold and firm.
There’s nothing more heavenly in the heat of summer than this Cherry Almond Pie. Try it with a healthy helping of ice cream or fresh whipped cream for a truly decadent treat.
