Bleeding Heart Cherry Pie
Submitted by vbradley46
A show-stopping sour cherry pie with a hint of almond extract, topped with overlapping heart-shaped pastry cut-outs instead of a traditional crust. Gorgeous for Valentine’s Day or any day you want to impress.
YIELD
1 PiePREP
25 minCOOK
35 minREADY
3 hrsThis pie wears its heart on its sleeve. Literally.
Six cups of pitted sour cherries get tossed with sugar, quick-cooking tapioca, cornstarch, and almond extract, then piled into a flaky unbaked shell.
Instead of a plain top crust, overlapping heart-shaped dough cut-outs blanket the filling in concentric circles, with a few gaps left open as vents so the ruby-red juices bubble up through the gaps as it bakes.
The result is a pie that looks like a Valentine and tastes like peak cherry season.
Pro Tips
- Let the cherry filling sit for a full 15 minutes before spooning it in. The tapioca needs time to hydrate so the filling thickens properly.
- Start the hearts at the outside edge with larger cut-outs and work inward with smaller ones for the most polished look.
- Brush the top with cold water and sprinkle with sugar before baking for a sparkly, golden crust.
- Cool for at least 2 hours before slicing. The filling needs time to set or you’ll have cherry soup.
Variations
- Use sweet cherries instead of sour and reduce the sugar by a quarter cup.
- Try star-shaped or leaf-shaped cut-outs for a different seasonal look.
- Add a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon to the filling for a warmer, spiced cherry pie.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place a piece of foil on the bottom of the oven to catch any drips.
In a large bowl, whisk together the ¾ cup sugar, tapioca, and cornstarch.
Toss in the cherries and almond extract and set aside for 15 minutes.
Remove the pie plate from the freezer and, using a pastry brush, lightly moisten the dough along the rim with water. Toss the cherry mixture briefly and spoon it into the unbaked pie shell.
Place the dough cut-outs around the outside edge, overlapping them slightly.
One the outside circle is complete, begin another concentric row of overlapping dough hearts.
Leave a few open spaces here and there which will act as vents.
If using different size cutters, use the larger ones near the edge and the smaller ones in the center.
When the pie is completely covered, brush the top lightly with cold water and sprinkle evenly with remaining tablespoon of sugar.
Bake for 20 minutes until the pastry begins to brown.
Lower the heat to 375℉ (190℃) and bake until the top is nicely browned and the juice is bubbling out, about 15 minutes more. Cool on a rack for at least 2 hours.
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