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Traditional cherry pie

Easy

Easy

Serves 12
Hands-on time 30 min, oven time 1 hour, plus chilling and 3 hours standing time

Georgina Hayden’s beautiful pie – made using fresh cherries – is the ultimate in summer desserts. The pie benefits from being left to stand for 3 hours after baking, which makes it a go-to recipe for entertaining.

For pies, clafoutis, pavlovas and more, check out lots more of our cherry recipes.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 383kcals
Fat: 18.2g (11.2g saturated)
Protein: 4.4g
Carbohydrates: 49.6g (24g sugars)
Fibre: 2g
Salt: 0.8g

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 383kcals
Fat: 18.2g (11.2g saturated)
Protein: 4.4g
Carbohydrates: 49.6g (24g sugars)
Fibre: 2g
Salt: 0.8g

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Ingredients

900g fresh cherries, stoned
150g granulated sugar
3 tbsp cornflour
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
25g butter
Finely grated zest ½ orange
1 medium free-range egg
Splash milk
Double cream, crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream to serve

For the pastry

350g plain flour, plus extra to dust
40g granulated sugar
1 tsp fine sea salt
225g butter, cut into small cubes
75ml ice-cold water
1 tbsp cider vinegar

You’ll also need…

23cm pie dish or tin; a pastry cutter (optional)

Method

For the pastry, put the flour, 40g granulated sugar and the salt in a food processor. Add the butter, then pulse to a breadcrumb consistency. If you don’t have a food processor, rub the butter into the flour in a bowl, using your fingertips. Don’t worry if there are a few larger bits of butter – it’s best not to overwork the pastry.
Add the ice-cold water and vinegar, then whizz briefly (or mix in with a dinner knife) to bring the dough together. Turn out onto a floured surface, shape into 2 equal discs, then wrap each piece in cling film and chill for at least 45 minutes.
Take one of the discs of pastry out of the fridge and leave to soften a little. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry until 5-8cm larger than your pie dish. Line the dish, gently pushing the pastry into the edge. Trim any excess pastry, then chill for 20 minutes.
Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7 and take the remaining disc of pastry out of the fridge to soften. For the filling, put the cherries in a large mixing bowl with 130g sugar, the cornflour and the vanilla paste. Finely chop the 25g butter, then put in a bowl with the zest. Set aside.
Either roll out the pastry to form a round lid or make a lattice top (cut the pastry into 2cm wide strips with a knife or pastry cutter or cut into fine strips and plait to make thicker strands – see know-how below). Chill the pastry as you work, using any off-cuts to make pastry flowers, leaves or stars, as you like.
Spoon the cherry filling into the chilled pastry case, then top with the rolled-out pastry lid or lattice, crimping at the edges, adding any pastry details you want.
Mix the egg and milk, then brush it all over the pastry. Sprinkle with the remaining 20g granulated sugar.
Put the pie on a baking tray in the oven (to catch any drips), then immediately turn down the heat to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6 and bake for 1 hour. Check after about 40 minutes – if the edges are getting too dark, loosely cover with foil strips.
Leave to cool for 3 hours before serving. Serve with double cream, crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.

delicious. tips

Bake the pie up to 3 hours before serving. Best served at room temperature.
Lattice-work looks beautiful and it’s not hard to do – keep the pastry chilled and work in small batches, then chill the pie before baking. If you don’t want to make a grid lattice, you can use plaited pastry strips and flower shapes to decorate the edges or to make a one-way design (as here). Glazing the pastry with 2 egg yolks will give a more golden colour.
For the cherry pie make it a sweet golden dessert wine; moscatel de valencia is perfect, served cool but not too chilled.