Michigan Tart Cherry Pie

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9-inch pie plate (glass or ceramic preferred)
• •Rolling pin
• •Pastry blender or large fork
• •Cherry pitter
• •Rimmed baking sheet
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Pastry brush

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the pie dough

   Whisk flour, one tablespoon sugar, and one teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add the cold butter cubes and toss to coat each piece with flour. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until you have a mix of pea-sized chunks and smaller, flattened pieces. Some butter should remain visible. This irregularity creates flaky layers.

2. 2

   Add water and form dough

   Drizzle six tablespoons ice water over the flour mixture. Toss with a fork, then squeeze a handful of dough. If it holds together without crumbling, you have enough water. If it falls apart, add more water one tablespoon at a time. Turn the shaggy mass onto your work surface and press it together into a cohesive ball. Divide in two, with one portion slightly larger than the other.

   The dough will look rough and barely unified. This is correct. Overworking develops gluten and toughens the crust.
3. 3

   Chill the dough

   Flatten each portion into a disk about one inch thick, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight. Cold dough rolls easier and the butter firms up, which creates steam pockets during baking. This rest also relaxes the gluten, preventing shrinkage.

4. 4

   Prepare the cherry filling

   Combine pitted cherries, one cup sugar, ground tapioca, lemon juice, almond extract, and one-eighth teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Fold gently until the tapioca distributes evenly. Let this mixture sit while you roll the dough, at least fifteen minutes. The tapioca needs time to absorb cherry juice.

   Grind the tapioca in a spice grinder or blender. Whole pearls create an unpleasant texture. You can substitute three tablespoons cornstarch if necessary, though tapioca produces a cleaner sheen.
5. 5

   Roll the bottom crust

   Remove the larger dough disk from the refrigerator. On a floured surface, roll from center outward in all directions, rotating the dough quarter-turns to maintain a circular shape. Roll to about twelve inches in diameter and one-eighth inch thick. Drape the dough over your rolling pin and transfer to a nine-inch pie plate. Ease it into the corners without stretching. Trim overhang to one inch. Refrigerate while you roll the lattice strips.

6. 6

   Cut the lattice strips

   Roll the smaller disk to an eleven-inch circle, slightly thinner than the bottom crust. Using a sharp knife or pastry wheel, cut into strips three-quarters inch wide. You should have ten to twelve strips. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about ten minutes. Cold strips weave without tearing.

7. 7

   Fill the pie

   Position a rack in the lower third of your oven and preheat to 425 degrees. Place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack to catch drips. Pour the cherry filling into the chilled crust, mounding slightly in the center. Dot the surface with the two tablespoons cold butter pieces.

8. 8

   Weave the lattice top

   Lay half the strips across the pie parallel to each other, spacing them evenly. Fold back every other strip halfway. Place a perpendicular strip across the unfolded strips, then unfold the folded strips over it. Now fold back the strips that were flat, lay another perpendicular strip, unfold. Continue this pattern until you've woven a complete lattice. Trim strips flush with the pie edge.

   Work quickly while the strips are cold. If they soften and become sticky, slide the whole pie into the refrigerator for ten minutes.
9. 9

   Crimp the edge

   Fold the bottom crust overhang up and over the lattice strip ends, pressing gently to seal. Crimp the edge by pressing your thumb into the dough while pinching with your other hand's thumb and forefinger to create a fluted pattern. This seal prevents juices from escaping during baking.

10. 10

    Apply egg wash and bake

    Beat the egg with cream and brush over the entire lattice and crimped edge. Sprinkle turbinado sugar evenly over the top. Place the pie on the preheated baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for twenty minutes until the crust begins to turn golden.

11. 11

    Reduce heat and finish baking

    Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Continue baking thirty to thirty-five minutes longer until the crust is deep golden brown and you see thick cherry juices bubbling through the lattice openings. The filling should bubble slowly, not just simmer. If the edges brown too quickly, shield them with strips of foil.

12. 12

    Cool completely before slicing

    Remove the pie from the oven and place on a wire rack. Allow to cool at least four hours, preferably six. This patience is essential. The filling needs time to set as the tapioca firms. Cut into a warm pie and you'll have cherry soup. Wait, and your slices will hold their shape while remaining juicy.

    If you absolutely cannot wait, serve warm portions in bowls with vanilla ice cream. Call it intentional.

Chef Tips

• •Seek out Montmorency cherries specifically. They're the variety that built Michigan's industry and the flavor is irreplaceable. Farmer's markets in July and August are your best source. Frozen tart cherries from Michigan work beautifully when fresh aren't available.
• •Invest in a good cherry pitter if you plan to make this pie regularly. The plunger style works faster than squeeze pitters. Pit cherries over a bowl to catch the juice, then add that juice to your filling.
• •Lard makes the most tender, flaky crust. If you can find leaf lard from a good butcher, substitute half the butter for lard. This was standard in Midwestern farmhouse kitchens. All-butter is the accessible compromise.
• •The almond extract is traditional and essential. Cherries and almonds are botanical cousins, and that quarter teaspoon deepens the cherry flavor without announcing itself.
• •Serve with vanilla ice cream at a summer picnic or with a wedge of sharp cheddar at a proper Michigan supper. Both traditions have merit.

Advance Preparation

• •Pie dough can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.
• •Cherries can be pitted and frozen in season for year-round pie making. Freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to freezer bags. Use directly from frozen, adding five minutes to the maceration time.
• •The fully baked pie keeps at room temperature for two days, loosely covered. Refrigerate after that, but bring to room temperature before serving for best texture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 214g)