Sour Cherry Pie
- Yield
- 1 × 23 cm pie
February 19, 2026 · Version 2 · Dessert
A double-crust sour cherry pie with a laminated butter crust.
Preparation
Scaling basis: Sour cherries · 900 g
PHASE A — MAKE CRUST
Ingredient Uses
- All-purpose flour
Form the dough.
- Quantity
- 375 g
- Scaling
- 41.67%
- Butter
Keep frozen for flakes.
- Quantity
- 250 g
- Scaling
- 27.78%
- Vegetable shortening
Optional fat for tenderness.
- Quantity
- 60 g
- Scaling
- 6.67%
- Salt
Season the dough.
- Quantity
- 5 g
- Scaling
- 0.56%
- Water
Bind the dough.
- Quantity
- 135 g
- Scaling
- 15.00%
Method
- Whisk flour and salt, grate in butter, then add the water until the dough holds when pressed.
- Divide, press into discs, wrap, and chill before rolling a bottom and top crust.
Technique Applications
| Technique | Controls | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Lamination | Keep butter cold; rest dough 30–60 min. | Preserve separate fat layers. |
Phase Outputs
| Key | Phase Output | Description |
|---|---|---|
| pie-crust | Pie crust | Chilled double crust ready for filling. |
PHASE B — FILL PIE
Ingredient Uses
- Sour cherries
Use frozen, pitted fruit.
- Quantity
- 900 g
- Scaling
- 100.00%
- Sugar
Sweeten the filling.
- Quantity
- 150 g
- Scaling
- 16.67%
- Cornstarch
Thicken juices.
- Quantity
- 45 g
- Scaling
- 5.00%
- Lemon juice
Balance the filling.
- Quantity
- 15 g
- Scaling
- 1.67%
- Butter
Dot over the filling.
- Quantity
- 30 g
- Scaling
- 3.33%
- Almond extract
Perfume the fruit.
- Quantity
- 5 g
- Scaling
- 0.56%
- Salt
Season the filling.
- Quantity
- 3 g
- Scaling
- 0.33%
Method
- Combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, almond extract, and salt in the lined crust.
- Dot with butter, cover with the top crust, and vent it.
Principles
- Acid balance — Lemon juice sharpens the fruit flavour.
- Starch gelatinisation — Cornstarch thickens released fruit juices during baking.
Phase Outputs Used
| Phase Output | Use |
|---|---|
| Pie crust | Line the tin with pie-crust and reserve the top crust. |
Phase Outputs
| Key | Phase Output | Description |
|---|---|---|
| filled-pie | Filled pie | Assembled pie ready to bake. |
PHASE C — BAKE PIE
Method
- Bake at 200 C for 20 min, then reduce to 180 C and bake until the filling bubbles and the crust is browned.
- Cool fully before slicing.
Technique Applications
| Technique | Controls | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Staged baking | 200 C for 20 min, then 180 C for 35–45 min. | Set the crust before finishing the fruit. |
Phase Outputs Used
| Phase Output | Use |
|---|---|
| Filled pie | Bake filled-pie until the filling bubbles. |
FAILURE MODES
| Symptom | Likely cause | Corrective action |
|---|---|---|
| Runny filling | Pie was cut before the starch set. | Cool completely before slicing. |
| Tough crust | Dough was overworked or warm. | Mix minimally and keep the fat cold. |