Cosmic Crisp® Apple-Cherry Pie by Erin Jeanne McDowell

Combining two fruits in one pie is a surefire way to juicy filling success – and there’s no more perfect sweet-tart combination than Cosmic Crisp®  apples with summer cherries. Using two fruits can also present a classic pie challenge, since different fruits can contribute varied quantities of juiciness into the filling. Pre-cooking the filling gives you the best chance of achieving that “just right” sliceable consistency, all while maintaining a crust that’s equally crisp and flaky from top to bottom. Many recipes that involve baking apples require that you peel the apples, but if I’m being honest, the skin is one of my favorite parts of the apple! Especially with Cosmic Crisp®, the peel adds a lovely tartness, and stays nicely red even after baking, contributing to a lovely color of the final filling.

Pie Crust

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the cubed butter, tossing the cubes through the flour until each individual piece is well coated. ‘Cut’ the butter into the flour by pressing the pieces between your fingers, flattening the cubes into big shards. As you work, continue to toss the butter through the flour, recoating the shingled pieces.
2. For a flaky crust, continue cutting the butter into the flour just until the pieces of butter are about the size of walnut halves.
3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the amount of ice water listed in the recipe to the well, but have more on hand. Use a tossing motion with your hands to start to mix the two together (this begins to combine them without creating too much gluten). As it begins to become hydrated, you can start to use more of a kneading motion. Add more water about 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough is properly hydrated: it should be uniformly combined and hold together easily, but it won’t look totally smooth. Dough that is too dry may have sort of a “dusty” appearance, or pockets of un-hydrated flour. It will not hold together and will appear crumbly. Dough that is too wet will feel sticky or tacky to the touch, and is often smoother and/or lighter in color.
4. Form the dough into two even disks. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.
5. To Line the Pie Plate: lightly dust a work surface with flour, and lightly dust a rolling pin, if desired. Roll out the first round of dough to about ¼ inch thick, rotating it as you work to help prevent it from sticking. To transfer the dough to the pan, gently roll it up, wrapping it around the pin, then unfurl it into the pie plate.
6. To Prepare the Edge for Crimping: use scissors to trim away the excess dough, leaving about ½ inch excess all the way around the outside edge of the pie plate. Tuck this excess dough under, pressing gently to make it flush with the edge of the pie plate. Crimp as desired.  Dock the crimped single crust pie dough with a fork and chill well (at least 30 minutes).
7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the remaining disk of dough to ¼ inch thick. Use star cookie cutters – or any shape you desire, to cut a variety of shapes out of the dough. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet (put the larger pieces around the outside, and the smaller pieces towards the center). Egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.
8. To Par-Bake the Crust: cut a square of parchment paper slightly larger than the diameter of a pie plate, and press it into the base of the pie plate. Fill with pie weights to the top inner rim of the pie plate. Bake in a 425°F oven until the edges begin to lightly brown, 15-17 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and pie weights, and return to the oven until the lower portion of the crust appears dry and set, 2-3 minutes more. Cool completely before filling.

Pie Filling

1. Melt the butter in a medium pot, then add the apples, cherries, lemon juice, and ½ cup (99 g) granulated sugar. Cook until the mixture becomes saucy and the fruit starts to become tender, 4-5 minutes.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the remaining ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt, and ginger to combine. Sprinkle this mixture over the fruit in the pot, immediately stirring to combine (stir well to ensure the mixture is incorporated and remains lump-free).
3. Continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the juices thicken, 2-3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, and stir in the vanilla paste (or extract( and almond extract. Cover the filling, and allow the filling to cool completely (to speed this process, you can pour it onto a baking sheet).
4. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F. Place the pie pan on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then pour the apple-cherry filling into the crust and spread into an even layer. Bake until the filling is steaming, and the crust is deeply golden, 35-40 minutes.
5. When the pie is freshly out of the oven, arrange the pie crust stars over the surface. Cool the pie completely before slicing. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.