Tips for Baking Perfect Cherry Pies and Tarts Every Time

Who doesn’t like the sweet and tarty fruit, cherry? The little red-colored fruits are not just perfect for munching in between your meals, but they also make one of the best ingredients for desserts. Be it a pie or a tart, cherries are the perfect ingredient to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Since nothing can beat the aroma of freshly baked cherry pies or tarts, you must try baking it yourself. While the recipes might seem intimidating at first, it’s not that hard. To help you get perfect cherry pies and tarts every time you decide to bake, here is a classic recipe followed by tips and tricks for a flawless baking experience.

How To Make A Classic Cherry Pie

Ingredients:

• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter
• ¼ cup water
• 6 cups cherries
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract

Instructions:

Make the Crust:

1. Mix the flour and salt and add some butter. Blend till you get coarse crumbs.
2. Gradually add the water and knead a smooth dough.
3. Divide the dough into two equal portions and refrigerate for half an hour.
4. Roll the first half into a circle and transfer to a baking tray.
5. Roll the other half of the dough and set aside.

Make the Filling:

1. Take a bowl and mix cherries, sugar, cornstarch, almond extract, and salt.
2. Pour the mixture into the crust you transferred to the baking tray.

Assemble and Bake:

1. Cover the filling with the second circle you rolled out and trim the edges.
2. Cut a few slits in the top crust to allow the steam to pass and prevent a soggy crust.
3. Brush the crust with a little oil and bake the pie at 220°C for 15 minutes.
4. Reduce the temperature to 190°C and bake for some 30-40 more minutes.
5. Let the pie cool, slice it into pieces, and dig in.

How To Make A Classic Cherry Tart

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup butter
• 2-3 tablespoons water
• 3 cups cherries
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions:

Make the Tart Shell:

1. Whisk flour and salt together. Add butter and water to knead a dough.
2. Roll the dough and press it into a tart pan.
3. Prick the crust with a fork to ensure even baking.
4. Refrigerate till you prepare the filling.

Make the Filling:

1. Mix pitted cherries, sugar, almond extract, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt.
2. Once well-mixed, transfer the filling to the crust.

Bake:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Bake the tart for half an hour and take it out once the crust is golden brown.
3. Let the tart come down to room temperature and then enjoy.

Tips To Bake The Perfect Cherry Pies And Tarts

Flaky Crust

The secret to a perfect pie or tart lies in a flaky crust. To ensure that the texture of the crust is on point, it is best to use cold butter. The secret to perfecting the dough is to resist the urge to overmix, as it can lead to a tough crust. You can also refrigerate the dough for about half an hour before rolling, which prevents the crust from shrinking while baking.

Flavorful Filling

The second part of the recipe is to prepare a filling that remains the same for a cherry pie and tart. To achieve a perfect balance between the tarty and sweet flavor profiles, it is recommended that you add sugar whilst tasting the filling. As mentioned in the above recipe, you must add a thickening agent like cornstarch to get a gel-like consistency in the filling. To further elevate the taste of the filling, you can add almond extract, vanilla extract, and even a squeeze of lemon.

Prevent a Soggy Crust

Whenever you bake a pie or tart for the first time, the common mistake you might make is not ensuring that the crust is crunchy. To prevent a soggy crust you can prebake the bottom crust of the cherry pie and tart and then add the filling. If you don’t have any dietary restrictions, you can brush the crust with egg white to create a moisture barrier.

Be Patient

The aroma of the freshly baked cherry tart or pie can make anyone impatient. However, to get the best result, you must wait before slicing the pie. Let the hot pie or tart come down to room temperature before you cut it or simply dig in.