Sweet Cherry Pie!

This is another dessert I made with cherries from my cherry tree.  The cherries are sweet, not pie cherries, but a friend pointed out this recipe to me, and I tried it, and loved it!!  The cherries I used were similar to Bing cherries.  (But we used them before they turned really dark... they were still sweet though.)  I've also made freezer jam and cherry crisp with my cherries, and will share those recipes later.

Some reviewers complained about an overly-juicy pie.  Mine was juicy when I cut into it a few hours after baking, but I thought that was normal for fruit pies.  We stuck the leftover pie in the fridge and it firmed up really well.  Pic below is of "first cutting".  Lol.  The first pic on this post is after being in the fridge overnight.  I use my mom's pie crust recipe for this, but you can use your favorite recipe.

Our cherry blossoms in April; pics above and below.

Sweet Cherry Pie
adapted from Simply Recipes

Pie crust for double crust pie, recipe follows (or use own recipe)
5 cups sweet cherries, pitted (I measure after pitting)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp corn starch
1 Tbsp of butter, cut into small pieces

1.  In a large bowl, combine the pitted cherries, sugar, almond extract, lemon juice and corn starch. Toss until the cherries are well coated with everything.

2.  On a lightly floured counter or large cutting board, roll out the bottom crust. Place it into a 9 or 10-inch pie pan. Trim the edges, if needed, so that they extend beyond the edge of the pie pan by about 1 inch.

3.  Roll out the top crust to about the same size as the bottom crust.  Place the filling on top of the rolled crust in the pie plate. Dot with small pieces of butter. Cover with the top crust. Trim the edges. Crimp to seal the edges together. Cut slits in the top crust so that the steam can escape while the pie is cooking. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before cooking.

5.  Preheat the oven to 425°F. Bake the pie in the middle rack, with a baking sheet on the rack below to catch any drippings. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the temp to 350°F and bake for 35 to 45 minutes longer, or until the crust is nicely browned and the filling is thick and bubbly.  Allow to cool completely before serving. (A few hours.... to firm up the filling, refrigerate overnight.)

Mom's Pie Crust

from my Mom... obviously 

1 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour, stirred and measured
1/4 cup cold water

1.  Measure shortening into bowl. Add salt and half of flour. Stir with a spoon until ingredients cream together and mixture is smooth and satiny. Add water and remaining flour. Stir with spoon until mixture clings together in ball. Roll out as desired on a generously floured board. Don't be afraid to handle or overmix. Makes 2 (9-inch) pastry shells or enough for 1 double pie. (Will use the whole recipe for the cherry pie.)

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