{recipe} Cherry Raspberry Pie with Shortbread Crust

I don’t often make desserts with cherries, unless it’s a special request. There are 2 reasons: 1) I don’t like cherries that much, and 2) cherries have troublesome little pits that must be removed prior to baking them into a dessert. But it turns out a lot of people’s favorite pie is cherry pie. Why, people? With options like blackberry, apple, and sweet potato, how could you pledge your love to cherry? To me there is perhaps nothing less appealing than one of those gummy, syrupy open-crust cherry pies. So I have tried to figure out how to honor the unceasing drumbeat of requests for cherry pie while making something that I, myself, actually find palatable and worth the calories, which has resulted in this recipe for cherry raspberry pie.

For the filling, I combine fresh pitted cherries and raspberries with a measure of dried cherries. The dried cherries add sweetness and texture without adding a layer of gelatinous goo, and the raspberries provide some much-needed tartness and filler. Instead of the syrupy center, a simple mix of melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and flour make a more balanced cherry filling that is a much more appealing texture. The mixture goes into a rich and crumbly shortbread cookie crust seasoned with a hint of orange zest.

You can make this in individual tart pans if you prefer how it looks- just keep an eye on the baking time if you’re using individual pans as they may cook a little more quickly. Either way… I’m definitely coming around to cherries as a viable, pie-able option.

Cherry Raspberry Pie with Shortbread Crust
makes one 9-inch or 10-inch pie

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup butter, divided
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 T heavy cream
• 2 cups + 2 T flour, divided
• 1 tsp salt
• zest and juice of 1 large orange or 2 small oranges
• 2 1/2 cups pitted cherries
• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 cup dried cherries (can substitute dried apricots, cut to raisin- sized morsels)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

METHOD:

• With a paddle attachment, 3/4 cup butter and white sugar well, until light and fluffy.
• With mixer still going on low speed, add egg yolks and cream one at a time and mix.
• Add 2 cups flour, salt, and orange and mix just til combined. The mixture will come together but may still be a little crumbly.
• Gently press the dough into the bottom and sides of a 9 or 10 inch pie plate. Put crust in freezer for at least 10 minutes. Heat oven to 375.
• Meanwhile, melt remaining 4 Tblsp butter. Make the filling by combining the cherries, raspberries, and dried cherries with the melted butter, remaining 2 Tblsp flour, vanilla, brown sugar, and orange juice. Mix well and set aside.
• Remove pan from freezer. Pour cherry mixture in and spread out evenly.
• Bake about 15 minutes or until edges of crust are brown. Cover brown edges with strips of foil or one of these and continue baking until center is bubbly, about 30 minutes more.
• Remove from oven and let cool a bit. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.