Vanilla Cherry Pie Recipes

Steps:

• First, make the pastry. Put the butter and flour in a food processor and whizz until the mixture looks like damp breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and pulse to combine. Whisk the egg yolks, 2 tbsp cold water and the vanilla in a bowl, then drizzle over the flour mixture. Pulse until the dough starts to clump together, adding a drizzle more water, 1 tsp at a time, if the dough feels dry - try not to add too much or the pastry will be tough. Tip out onto a work surface and knead briefly to bring everything together to a smooth dough. Break into 2 pieces, one a little larger than the other, wrap in cling film, pat into flat discs and chill for 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Remove the larger piece of pastry from the fridge - if it feels a little firm, leave at room temperature for 20 mins to soften. On a floured surface, roll out to the thickness of a £1 coin. Use the pastry to line a 20-22cm metal pie plate or tin, leaving a little excess pastry overhanging - trim with a pair of scissors if necessary. Line the base with baking parchment and baking beans, and blind-bake for 20 mins. Mix the cherries, cornflour and sugar in a bowl. Add the cherry jam, vanilla and butter, and mix again.
• Remove the beans and parchment from the base, brush the pastry with some of the beaten egg white and bake for 5 mins more until golden. Trim the pastry to neaten.
• Turn the oven down to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Tip the cherries into the centre of the pie. Roll out the remaining pastry to the same thickness as before, large enough to cover the pie. Slide the pastry onto a well-floured sheet of baking parchment and, using your favourite mini biscuit cutter or the wide end of a piping nozzle, stamp out a scattering of shapes - we used a 2cm star cutter, but hearts or circles would look nice - just don't cut out too many or the pastry will collapse. Brush the egg white over the edge of the pie rim and all over the lid. Place a few cut-out shapes back on the pastry, if you like. Carefully lift the baking parchment and pastry, and slide the pastry lid onto the pie, removing the parchment. Trim the excess pastry, then use a fork to press the lid to the base. Bake for 35 mins.
• Brush the pie with the remaining egg white and scatter with the remaining 1 tbsp sugar. Bake for a further 5 mins until golden brown and bubbling. Leave to cool for at least 20 mins before serving with crème fraîche, thick cream or ice cream.

Steps:

• Beat cream cheese, sour cream, and milk together in a bowl. Stir pudding mix into the cream cheese mixture. Fold about half the cherry pie filling into the cream cheese mixture; spread into the prepared pie crust and top with remaining pie filling.
• Refrigerate until set and chilled completely, about 2 hours.

Steps:

• Whisk flour and salt together in a bowl. Cut in shortening with 2 knives or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork, until flour mixture is moistened. Do not add more water than you need: when you squeeze a handful of the moistened pastry mixture, it should form a ball.
• Divide the dough in half and shape into balls. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate, at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Mix cherries, sugar, and tapioca flour together in a saucepan; let sit until the sugar draws out the cherries' juices, about 10 minutes. Heat the cherry mixture over medium heat until the juices begin to thicken and run clear, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; mix in butter and vanilla extract. Let sit until filling has cooled to lukewarm, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Roll out half the pastry to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Place bottom crust in pie plate. Spoon filling into crust using a slotted spoon to drain excess syrup; dot with butter. Cut left over dough into strips with a sharp paring knife or pastry wheel. Lay strips on top of the pie, pressing to seal the edges.
• Bake in the preheated oven until crust is a golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes.