I love cherries! I t’s definitely one of my favorite summer fruit, and every year I cry over the fact the season ends so quickly. Right now, it’s just the peak of the season, which is the perfect excuse to make cherry pie.
This is not a traditional cherry pie, as it combines hazelnut almond cream and tons of cherries at the top. Serve it a little warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream – and it’s the perfect summer dessert!
Photo: Natalie Levin
Cherry Pie with Almond Cream
For short crust pastry:
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) cold butter cut into cubes
- 120 grams (1 cup) all-purpose flour
- 30 grams (3 tbsp.) cornstarch
- 70 grams (7 tbsp.) powdered sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 25 grams (1/4 cup) almond meal
- 1 egg yolks
For almond and hazelnut cream:
- 80 grams whole almonds
- 40 grams whole hazelnuts
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) sugar
- 20 grams (2 tbsp.) light brown sugar
- 130 grams (1 stick) cold butter cut into cubes
- Pinch of salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp. Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur or brandy)
- 1 tbsp. cornstarch
For decoration and serving:
- 150 grams pitted cherries (halved)
- Icing sugar
- Crust: in a food processor with a steel blade, put butter, flour, cornstarch, powdered sugar, salt and ground almonds and blend until crumbly.
- Add egg yolk and continue to process just until large chunks of dough form.
- Transfer the dough chunks of a lightly floured work surface and combine with your hands, create a disc shape, wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
- Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 3-4 mm thick and line the pan It is important to create a right angle between the sides and the base of the crust, which will ensure the edges remain high when baking.
- Using a fork create holes in the crust. Freeze the crust for about an hour.
- Preheat oven to 170c degrees.
- Blind baking: put a sheet of heat-resistant plastic wrap or baking paper on the frozen crust and fill with dry beans or special weights for baking.
- Bake for about 10-12 minutes.
- Remove the weights and the plastic wrap and continue to bake the crust for about 3-4 minutes or until it is lightly golden.
- Cool slightly at room temperature.
- Almond and hazelnuts cream: in a food processor with a steel blade put almonds, hazelnuts, sugar, light brown sugar, butter and salt and blend until crumbly.
- Add egg, Frangelico and cornstarch and continue to blend until a thick cream forms.
- Spread the cream over the crust and sprinkle over the cherries.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and set.
- Cool completely at room temperature, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.
- Keep the pie in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Serve the pie at room temperature or even slightly warm.
- Instead of cherries you can use any other berry you like.
- You can use frozen or fresh cherries.
Photo: Natalie Levin