Decadent slice of pie with a twist of Día de Los Muertos
Growing up my grandparents, who immigrated to America from Mexico, would make the most amazing pies. And the crust was always the highlight. Light, flakey and so flavorful. Although pie isn't a traditional Hispanic dessert it was one that I wanted to make to celebrate Dia de Los Muertos. To celebrate my grandparents and everything they have done to pave the way for us. So, here's to delicious pie, that will forever represent my family heritage.
“I think that food ties us to our community and to our traditions, and its the thing that makes us feel good and connected.” - Kathy Freston .
So, what's the Hype?
My extended family LOVES cherry pie and I've never understood why. Like I said previously, the family pie crust recipe is 100% but it's covered in goopy canned pie filling. I just knew we could do better. Enter the BEST cherry pie you'll ever have. This pie is rich, tart and sweet. The bourbon warms it up and allows the cherries to really shine #bakingwithalcohol . This pie is no longer a question mark at family gatherings, its the pie you come to devour.
This is truly my favorite thing about creating recipes, seeing a bake become what it should always have been.
Pie Crust Recipe:
2 1/2 c flour
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c (2 and a half sticks) cold butter
1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
3-5 TBSP ice cold water
Mix together all dry ingredients. Cube up butter and toss into flour mixture. With a pastry cutter start cutting butter into your flour. I like to start it with this just to break butter down a little bit. Then, using your hands really incorporate all the butter into the flour until it’s about pea sized. Create a well and add in 3 TBSP water and your vinegar. Mix in adding more water till the dough comes together. The dough should hold a form but not be too wet. Divide in half , wrap each portion in plastic wrap and chill in fridge till ready to use. Using a 3” cookie cutter cut out 18 circles and press onto a greased muffin tin. Dollop 2 TBSP cranberry curd and top with Brie cheese. Sprinkle with coarse salt and bake for 15-20 minutes at 360 f. *optional* add a few rosemary springs on top and enjoy warm.
Bourbon Cherry Pie Filling:
12" pie
38 oz frozen dark sweet cherries
3/4 c sugar
1/2 tsp plus a pinch salt
2 1/2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP bourbon
3 TBSP corn starch
2 TBSP flour
9 hand pies:
14 oz frozen dark sweet cherries
2/3 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 TBSP butter
1 TBSP bourbon
1 1/2 TBSP cornstarch
1 TBSP flour
To a large sauce pan add butter and flour over low heat. Mix well and let butter melt completely. Add in bourbon letting it simmer for a second before adding in all your cherries. Add in sugar and salt. Give it a good stir then allow the cherries to break down and create a sauce. You’ll still have whole cherries it will just be very liquidy. Allow that to simmer for 5-7 minutes. Take out about half a cup of the liquid and place in a bowl. Mix cornstarch into the liquid to make a slurry. Then add it to the Cherry mixture. It should thicken up really quick. Once it looks about to consistency of jam remove from heat. Don’t over cook. Let Cherry filling come to room temp. It’ll take about 1 hour for the 12” pie filling and about 30 minutes for hand pies.
Roll out pie dough to about 1/8” thick
*if your making hand pies cut out 18 3” circles. Baste 9 with and egg wash and too those with 1 1/2-2 TBSP pie filling. Cover with the 9 remaining circles. Cut a vent in the top and crimp the edges. Coat with an egg wash and dust with sugar. Bake at 350°F for 30-40 minutes.
*for the 12” pie fold your dough into fourths and transfer first set into your pie dish. Push dough down into pan so no air pockets are there. Fill with bourbon Cherry filling. Top with your second pie crust and crimp the edges. Add whatever design you’d like to the top. Make it your own and have fun with it. Add egg wash and sugar then bake at 350°F. If you don’t have a pie cover use strips of aluminum foil to cover the edges of your crust so they don’t burn. Bake for 1 hour or until center of the top pie crust is golden brown. Let cool completely and enjoy with some whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.