Saturday, August 16, 2014

Grand Traverse Cherry Pie

This outstanding pie is a  prize-winner from Grand Traverse County, Michigan where they really know their cherries.

 Double pastry for 9-inch pie
2 ½ cups tart cherries
1 cup cherry juice
2/3 cups sugar
½ tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. almond extract
2 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
¼ tsp. red food coloring
 Preheat oven to 400°. Line a 9-inch pie plate with pie crust and flute edges.
 In medium saucepan, combine cherries, juice, sugar, salt and cornstarch; cook over medium heat until mixture comes to full boil. Remove from heat and add butter, food coloring and almond extract. Let cool. Put filling in pastry lined crust. Dot with butter and top with second crust. Put several slits in top crust, sprinkle with sugar and bake at 400° for 10 minutes;
Grand Traverse Cherry Pie
lower temperature to 350° and continue to bake for additional 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let pie cool completely before serving.