Delicious sour cherry pie made with tart cherries in a basic pie crust(pate brissee). It is a beautiful recipe that can be made any time of the year, especially if you also have access to frozen sour cherries.
Sour cherry Pie- A Classic Summer Dessert
I have to say that the pictures do not do justice to this pie. I took this pie out of the oven and the juices were all over the place. Sorry about that, people!
However, the taste is exactly how it should be and I am proud of my mess. It is perfect for summer days, so I decided to make the recipe for a visit to my family.
You can make this tart with fresh sour cherries that will need to be pitted or with frozen sour cherries that are already cleaned.
I never used cans of tart cherries, so I am not sure how they would work in this recipe.
I like fresh fruit better than canned, so we will go with this for now.
The recipe of the pie crust is a classic pate brisee that is versatile and can be used in any pie recipe, no matter if these recipes are savory or sweet.
What is pate brisee?
Pate brisee is the French name for any shortcrust pie dough that is made with butter.
It is a good crust to make for all kinds of recipes from savory to sweet and can last in the fridge for about 3 days or in the freezer for about 3 months.
It is always a good idea to make extra dough and freeze it for emergencies.
What are tart cherries or sour cherries?
Tart cherries or sour cherries are from the same family with cherries and they are very popular in Europe and Asia.
Tart cherries are usually a little bit smaller than the regular cherries and …well..tart, or more acidic, so for this matter, a good amount of sugar goes into the pie filling.
I have to tell you that living in Minnesota, I never had access to fresh sour cherries, or even frozen, but right now, since we moved overseas, this little humble fruit is more available, which helps me take advantage of it.
Tart cherries are used in desserts, like cakes, pies or syrups, but also in soups or pork dishes.
In Eastern Europe people also make a liqueur out of these sour cherries that is made with sugar and alcohol. Very good, if you ask me.
What kind of ingredients you need for this sour cherry pie?
For the crust:
- all purpose flour
- salt
- very cold unsalted butter
- very cold water
For the filling:
- sour cherries
- sugar
- salt
- all purpose flour or corn starch
- unsalted butter
How to make the sour cherry pie:
The crust:
In a food processor: I like making pie crust in the food processor, as the process is straight forward and I never ran into problems with the crust.
Start with the ingredients. The butter has to be super cold, directly from the fridge. Cut it in small little cubes.
Mix flour with salt together.
Place everything in the food processor. Pulse a few times until you obtain a mixture that resembles sand or bread crumbs. Do not overmix.
Add water, one tablespoon at a time until the mixture holds together.
It should look something like this:
Divide dough into two parts, then shape each half into a disk.
Wrap each half in plastic foil and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or up to 1 day. (You can skip this part if you are in a hurry)
How to make the sour cherry filling:
Place the sour cherries pitted in a bowl. If you use frozen fruit, make sure you drain it and thaw it well before you use it.
If you skip this step, you will end up with a pie like mine that was extremely juicy.
Mix sugar, salt, flour(or corn starch) together.
Add the mixture to the fruit. If you want to add some vanilla or some almond flavor, this is the time to do it.
Mix everything together.
Tip: You can swap flour for corn starch if you want.
How to Assemble the pie:
This is the time to preheat the oven to 375F.
Roll out one piece of dough on floured board to a 12-inch size.
This will fit in a 9 inch pan.
Add the cherry mixture.
Top the filling with little pieces of butter. Place the pie in the fridge while you work on the top of the pie.
Roll out the other dough disk to a 9-10 inch size.
Using a cookie cutter or a pastry tip make a few holes in the pastry using the shapes you like.
I used the leftover dough to make leaves and decorate the edges of the pie.
Take the pie out of the fridge and cover it with the top. Press together both layers of crust to seal around edges.
Fold edges under and crimp as desired or decorate with leftover dough.
Brush crust with egg wash.
Bake in the oven for 1 1/2 hour or until the pie is golden brown on top and bubbling.
Very important tip:
You might need to put some foil underneath the pie dish to avoid cleaning the oven, as the juices of the pie might come out during baking.
Allow the pie to cool down on a wire rack, then serve it at room temperature.
Interested in more pies? Here is a collection of my recipes on the blog.
I don’t have access to sour cherries, can I make this recipe with regular cherries?
Yes, please, do not stop yourself to enjoy a good pie, just because you do not have sour cherries.
One piece of advice though, cut the sugar in the recipe, as cherries are naturally sweeter than tart cherries and they do not need a lot of sugar. Instead of using 1 1/2 cups of sugar, use only 1 cup.
Can I freeze the Sour cherry pie?
Yes, you can prepare the pie and freeze it uncooked. Just wrap it in aluminum foil and place it in the freezer.
It could last about 3 months in the freezer if it is stored properly. You can bake it normally when you decide to use it. Do not thaw before.
Yes to freeze it after you bake it. It could last more in the freezer if it is baked but the quality of the pie will decrease over time.
Enjoy!
More recipes to love:
Delicious Savory Recipes With Fresh Cherries
Cherry Flavored Drinks&Cocktails&Smoothies
Fresh Sour Cherry Pie
Delicious fresh sour cherry pie made with fresh fruit(tart cherries) and a basic pie crust(pate brissee). Beautiful any time of the year if you have access also to frozen sour cherries.
Ingredients
- Plain Pastry:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup unsalted cold butter
- 4-5 tablespoons cold water
- Sour(tart) cherry filling:
- 1 quart(2.2 pounds)/1 kg sour(tart) cherries, washed and pitted(or frozen-drained and thawed)
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour or 1/4 cup flour)- can be replaced with corn starch
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or 1/2 teaspoon almond flavor(your preference)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 9 inch round baking pan
Instructions
- How to make the pie crust(pâte brisée or shortcrust pastry):
- In a food processor: Mix flour with salt and place in the food processor. Add cold butter cut into small cubes and pulse few times until you obtain a mixture that resembles sand or bread crumbs. Do not overmix. Add water, one tablespoon at a time until mixture holds together.
- By hand: Mix flour and salt together, then cut the cold butter into small cubes and add it to the flour. Use a pastry tool to incorporate the butter into the flour, or use your fingertips. You should have a mixture that resembles sand or bread crumbs. Add water, one tablespoon at a time until mixture holds together.
- Divide dough into two parts, then shape each half into a disk. Wrap each half in plastic foil and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or up to 1 day. (You can skip this part if you are in a hurry)
- How to make the sour(tart)cherry filling:
- Mix sugar, salt, flour(or corn starch) together. Set aside.
If you use frozen sour cherries make sure to drain and thaw the fruit. - If you use fresh cherries, wash and pit them.
- In a large bowl, place the sour cherries and add the mixture of sugar with flour. Mix everything together.
- How to assemble the pie:
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Roll out one piece of dough on floured board to a 12 inch size. This will fit in a 9 inch pan. Trim away excess and use it for decorating the pie.
- Add the cherry mixture. Top the filling with little pieces of butter. Place the pie in the fridge while you work on the top of the pie.
- Roll out the other dough disk to a 9-10 inch size. Using a cookie cutter or a pastry tip make few holes in the pastry using the shapes you like.(I use the leftover dough to make leaves and decorate the edges of the pie)
- Take the pie out of the fridge and cover it with the top. Press together both layers of crust to seal around edges. Fold edges under and crimp as desired or decorate with leftover dough.
- Brush crust with egg wash. Bake in the oven for 1 1/2 hour or until the pie is golden brown on top and bubbling. You might need to put some foil underneath the pie dish to avoid cleaning the oven, as the juices of the pie might come out during baking.
- Allow it to cool on a rack and serve it cool.
Notes
Dough can be frozen up to 1 month; thaw overnight in refrigerator before using.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8 servingsServing Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 468Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 391mgCarbohydrates: 72gFiber: 1gSugar: 31gProtein: 4g