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Pie Crust:
In a food processor, place the flour,
salt, and sugar and process until combined. Add the butter and process
until the mixture resembles coarse meal (about 15 seconds). Pour 1/4
cup (60 ml) water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube
until the dough just holds together when pinched. If necessary, add
more water.
Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. Divide the dough in half, flattening
each half into a disk. Then cover with plastic
wrap and refrigerate for about one hour or until firm. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour.
After the dough has chilled sufficiently,
remove one portion of the dough from the fridge and
place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry into a
12 inch (30 cm) circle. (To prevent the
pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep
lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from
the center of the pastry outwards).) Fold
the dough in half and gently transfer to a 9 inch (23 cm)
pie pan. Brush off any excess flour and tuck the overhanging
pastry under itself, crimping as desired. Refrigerate the pastry,
covered with plastic wrap, while you roll out the remaining pastry and make the
cherry filling.
Meanwhile, remove the second
round of pastry and roll it into a 12 inch (30 cm) circle. Using a 2 1/2
inch (6 cm) star cookie cutter, cut out about 20 stars. Place the stars on
a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the
refrigerator.
Preheat your oven to 425
degrees F (220 degrees C)
and place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven.
Make the Cherry
Filling: Place the cherries in a large bowl. Add the sugar, tapioca, salt, lemon
juice, vanilla extract, and Kirsch or almond extract (if using) and gently toss to combine. (If
using canned cherries also add the 1/3 cup (80 ml) reserved cherry juice.) Let
sit for about 10-15 minutes and then pour
the mixture into the prepared pie shell and dot with the 2 tablespoons
(25 grams) of butter. Lightly brush the rim
of the pastry shell with cream. Starting at the outside
edge of the pie, place the cut out pastry stars in a circular pattern
on top of the cherries, making sure the tips of the stars are
touching. Once the top of the pie is completely covered with the
pastry stars, lightly brush the entire surface with the cream. Sprinkle with a little granulated white
sugar.
Place
the pie on a larger baking pan, lined with parchment paper, to catch
any spills. Bake the pie for about 15 minutes and then reduce the oven
temperature to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Continue to bake the pie
for about 25 - 35 minutes or until the crust is a deep golden brown
color and the cherry juices are starting to bubble. If the edges of the
pie are browning too much during baking, cover with a pie shield or foil ring.
Place the baked pie on a wire rack
to cool for 3-4 hours. Serve at room temperature with softly
whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Store any leftovers for 2 - 3 days
at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Makes one 9 inch (23 cm) pie.
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