Cherry pie might be associated most often with American diner culture, but Britain can rightly stake a claim to the pud too.
Though it doesn’t produce as many cherries as it once did, Kent is still considered the Garden of England, with a strong connection to orchard fruits. In high summer you’ll discover roadside stands dedicated to cherries.
They appear in farm shops and food halls, and across menus in pubs, cafes and restaurants, where they’re given star status.
If you’re lucky enough to get your mitts on some plump English cherries, we think they really shine in this sweet pie.
Ingredients (makes 1 x 20cm pie)
For the pastry:
- 250g plain flour
- 125g butter, chilled and cubed into 1cm pieces
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1tsp almond extract
- Iced cold water to blend
For the filling:
- 650g pitted fresh cherries
- 125g caster sugar
- 3 tbsp cornflour
- 100g dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces
- Splash cherry liqueur
To finish:
- 1 large egg, beaten
- Demerara sugar, to sprinkle
Method
1. For the pastry, rub the butter into the flour until you have crumbs. Add the sugar, almond extract and egg, and just enough ice-cold water to bring it all together into a firm dough.
2. Separate the dough into two pieces (one piece a third of the mixture, and the other two thirds). Flatten them, wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.
3. Pre-heat your oven to 200C and place a baking sheet or tray big enough to hold a 20cm round dish, in the middle.
4. While the pastry cools, make your filling by tossing the cherries with the sugar, cornflour, a splash of cherry liqueur and chocolate. You want everything to be nicely coated and tumbled together.
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out your bigger piece of pastry to line a 20cm pie dish, Roll from the middle outwards for an even finish.
6. Pour in your filling and press it down evenly. Now roll out your pastry lid, lay it over the top, and crimp the edges firmly to seal. Cut a slit in the centre of the pie to allow steam to escape, brush the top with beaten egg, and sprinkle over a scant tablespoon of demerara sugar.
7. Place the pie dish on the baking sheet in the oven (this will help the bottom crisp up) and bake for around 40 minutes, until golden.
8. Allow to sit for at least an hour before diving in, so the filling can firm up slightly. It’s gorgeous with vanilla ice cream.
