Cherry~Blueberry Pie

Yes. I did soften the edges on this picture just a tad. I had to make it look as angelic as this pie tasted.

Abel and I made this the other night to bring to a friends for dessert. It had only been out of the oven a little over an hour when dessert time rolled around and I was a wee bit nervous cutting into it so soon. But we couldn't wait. And I was very relieved when it actually held its shape pretty well! Then, within a few hours it had set up perfectly. Can't say that always happens with my berry pies, so that is why this recipe needed to be written down somewhere other than my brain.

A very tasty spring dessert, if you don't mind using frozen fruit for now. With fresh fruit it could easily be an ace every time. I used frozen sweet cherries and blueberries of the Wegmans- "Just Picked" variety. Danny does it again.

Cherry~Blueberry Pie

Adapted from Peter Sterk (a Foodnetwork.com recipe)

2 cups frozen or fresh cherries (tart or sweet)

2 cups frozen or fresh blueberries

1 1/4 cup sugar

4-5 T cornstarch

1 T tapioca

1/8 T almond extract

Your favorite pie crust recipe doubled (mine is below)

1 1/2 T butter to dot fruit (I used honey butter)

Berry Filling

Mix all four cups of fruit in medium saucepan and cover. Place over medium heat until the fruit loses a fair amount of juices, about 5 minutes. Add cornstarch, sugar, and tapioca and reduce heat to simmer and simmer until juice becomes thicker. Adjust amount of cornstarch/tapioca if it still seems very runny. Add almond extract and remove fruit from heat. Place in cold bowl and then put in fridge to cool while making the crust.

Once bottom crust is rolled out place in 9 inch pie plate and put somewhat cooled berries into pastry, dot with butter, place top crust and cut vents in top. Bake at 375 for about an hour or when top crust is golden and fruit starts bubbling through vents.

My favorite Pie Crust via Betty Crocker

2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

2/3 c plus 2 T shortening

4-6 T ice cold water

Pre-heat over to 425.

Mix flour and salt. Cut shortening into flour mixture until pea sized crumbs form, Add water one T at a time and toss with a fork until mixture can shape into a ball. Cut in half for two crusts. Refrigerate for 15 mins before rolling out on floured surface.