World's Healthiest Cherry Pie

 

HERES MY SWEET CHERRY PIE

ALL GLUTEN FREE WHAT A SWEET SURPRISE

TASTES SO GOOD MAKES A GROWN UP CRY

SWEET  CHERRRYYY PIEEE

If you didn't sing along to that in your head...we can't be friends.

It's now the season where cherries aren't 25,000$/bag.


Which is amazing because cherries are the sweetest most beautiful wonderous fruits ever.


They are my FAVOURITE!

And I think part of their wonder and beauty is that they aren't available all year round. Summer is synonymous with cherries.


And Summer is my middle--- well actually it's my FIRST NAME!

So therefore...



Cherries are bae.

Cherries eyebrows be on fleek.

CHERRIES ARE ALL THAT AND A BAG OF APPLE CHIPS!




I made the crust extra thick around the edges and, to be honest, wanted to decorate with little cherry cut-outs.


But I realized, shockingly, that I had no cherry cookie cutter!!!!!!!!!

WHATTTTTT!


I thought I had every possible shape!


So, I decided....leaves will just have to do even though they have nothing to do with cherries.


They *DO* however, have a lot to do with Canada Day. Which is when I made this pie.

Bubbling sweet and caramelized cherries. With a flakey and rich gluten free crust. I know, I know. I'm your favourite.

If only pitting cherries wasn't...well...the pits.


Then I would probably make this pie ALL OF THE TIME!


OH MY GOSH IT WAS UNREAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



There aren't enough exclamation points.


This cherry pie is fit for Dean Winchester himself. He would love this pie.


He'd be like 'Oh my gosh this pie is amazing and also healthy? Come in my Chevy Impala and ride with me on all my demon-hunting journeys, girl!'



Yes. That's exactly how that would go down.

Can you smell the sweet vanilla and cherry scent filling your kitchen?


CAN YOU!

If not then you should read the recipe and get to bakin'!

World's Healthiest Cherry Pie 

Yields 1 9-inch Pie (Bottom layer plus extra for decorating!) 

Gluten Free & Refined Sugar Free

Ingredients:

 

For the Crust

• 1 serving of my gluten free & butter free pie crust recipe 
• Add in 2 tablespoons coconut sugar to crust and sub 2 of the tablespoons of coconut oil for 2 tablespoons butter (optional but nice texture/flavour!)

For the Pie

• 4 cups pitted fresh red cherries (see notes on how to pit cherries)
• 1 1/4 cups coconut sugar (or organic cane sugar -- or a mix of both!)
• 4 tablespoons organic corn starch
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste 
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 
• 1.5 tablespoons cold butter, cubed (for dotting)*
• Egg wash: 1 egg, whisked gently 

*You can omit the butter if you choose!

Directions:

For the Crust 

1. In a large bowl add flour, sugar and sea salt and mix gently
2. Take frozen coconut oil and grate it into the flour mixture gently stirring your dough together -- if using the 2 tablespoons of cold butter, cut those into the flour before adding the grated coconut oil
3. Add ice water and yogurt one tablespoon at a time until you have a dough that stays together -- it depends on many factors but you'll likely need between 8- 12 tablespoons! Adding them one at a time helps you figure out the right texture before going too far! The dough should stick together when pinched between your finger tips
4. Roll dough into a ball and place it in the fridge wrapped in plastic wrap or parchment paper while you make the filling

For Filling

1. In a large bowl whisk together the starch, sugar and cinnamon
2. Add in remaining ingredients and gently toss together -- try not to squish the cherries too much!
3.  If desired, reserve the egg white aside for your egg wash and reserve some coarse sugar for sprinkling on crust after the egg wash

Pie Assembly

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit 
• Set aside a 9-inch pie plate near your work surface 
• Take your pie dough from the fridge and roll it out either on a floured surface or between two sheets of parchment paper until you have a thin layer of dough that is around 1/4 inch thick
• I like to roll my dough onto parchment then use the parchment to help me flip the dough onto the pie plate. Press down into corners of pie plate!
• Trim the overhang of pie crust and set aside 
• Crimp the edges of the crust with a forge or pinch together with fingers
• Once cherry mixture has sat for a few minutes, give it one last stir together. It should look like it's covered in a rich caramel sauce! 
• Scoop cherries into bottom pie crust and place in the fridge, covered, while you prepare the top crust 
• At this stage you should have a small amount of dough left (1/4 of the batch)
• Because this is a beautiful cherry pie you can also leave the top uncovered and pour in your filling, crimping the sides of the dough - I have done this as well with great results -- I rolled the dough slightly thicker so I had enough to make fancy edges and then just froze the extra for later use
• Your other option is to cut out shapes with the remaining dough and lay them on top of the pie in any design 
• Use an egg wash to brush the top of the pie pastry and sprinkle with coarse sugar if you desire
• Bake the pie at 400 F for 20 minutes, reduce temperature to 365 for the remaining time. About 40 - 50 minutes.
• Cover the edges of your pie in aluminum foil or a pie guard if you notice the edges are browning too quickly
• Pie is finished when the crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling!
• Cool on a wire rack and serve immediately :)

Cherry Pitting Tutorial


I remember wanting to make cherry pie when I was 19 or 20. It was pretty much my first exposure to cherries and I thought THESE ARE SO GREAT I SHOULD MAKE A PIE.


So I went to the grocery store to look for pitted cherries. They come in a huge tub..

GROSS!

Pitting them yourself is time consuming but with this trick you'll get it done WAY faster and you will have a more flavourful pie.


Step 1.

First, de-stem and wash your cherries in cold water. Pat dry with a towel.


Step 2. Safety Pin

I used a fairly large safety pin but any size will do. Simply separate the two halves, and pinch the ends closed. I found the larger end worked better. Insert the hoop into the cherry where the stem usually is.



Step 3.

Use the hoop to scoop the pit out. This will take some getting used to. Holding the cherry very tight will help -- you also don't want to hallow out the cherry -- so make sure you just go deep enough to scoop out the pit and pop it out

I wanted to eat it at this point.


And maybe...just MAYBE...I stole some of the coconut covered cherries?


And ate them?

But it's most enjoyable as a fully baked pie-package.


Cherry pie makes me think of the 1950s and old school diners which you see occasionally in movies and on long road trips.

 

While I cannot see this being an 'everyday' pie. Because there is no such thing. If you REALLY want to make a cherry lover happy then there is no way better than cherry pie.

Especially using a home-made filling and not that horrifically red gelatinous weirdness you can get in the cans at the grocery store. 

This is just as pretty!

Also if you're wondering why the syrup is brown-ish -- it's the coconut sugars wonderful caramel-ness.

I JUST WANT A SLICE SO MUCH.

 

Problem SOLVED!


Now that I have had me a piece of that cherry pie -- you should probably do the same.


Then, using a spoon, scoop up the caramel syrup from the bottom and dance around the kitchen with it singing it sweet lullabies and serenades.



Then eat it.


You're welcome.


Happy Pie Bakin'!

XO