Sour Cherry Rhubarb Streusel Pie
I baked another Sour Cherry Rhubarb Streusel Pie for dessert last night but this time not vegan and used my usual all butter pastry and butter in the streusel topping. This has quickly become my favorite pie this summer. I love the tart sweetness of the cherries and the distinctive rhubarb flavour. The almond extract brings out the cherry flavour while the lemon brightens everything up.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (12.5 ounces; 350g total) all-purpose flour, divided, 233 g with the butter and 117 g after.
- 2 tablespoons (25g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5g) kosher salt; for table salt use same weight or half as much by volume
- 2 1/2 sticks (10 ounces; 280g) unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pats (see note)
- 6 tablespoons (3 ounces; 85 g or 85ml) cold water
Directions
- Combine two thirds of flour (233 g) with 25 g sugar and 5 g salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse twice to incorporate. Spread butter pats evenly over surface. Pulse until no dry flour remains and dough just begins to collect in clumps, about 25 short pulses. Use a rubber spatula to spread the dough evenly around the bowl of the food processor. Sprinkle with remaining flour (117 g) and pulse until dough is just barely broken up, about 5 short pulses. Transfer dough to a large bowl.
Sprinkle with 85 g of cold water. Then, using a rubber spatula, fold and press dough until it comes together into a ball. Divide ball in half. Form each half into a 4-inch disk. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before rolling and baking.
When ready to shape the dough, pull out one ball, set it on a well-floured work surface, and sprinkle with more flour. Use a tapered rolling pin to start rolling the dough out into a circle, lifting the dough and rotating it while rolling to achieve an even shape. Continue rolling, changing the angle of your rolling pin as you go to get an even shape and thickness. The finished dough should overhang your pie plate by an inch or two.
Pick up the dough by carefully rolling it around your rolling pin, using your bench scraper to help lift it off the work surface. Unroll it over a pie plate. Gently lift and fit the dough into the pie plate, getting down into the corners.
For a single-crusted pie, use a pair of scissors to trim the dough so that it overhangs the edge by 1/2 inch all around. For a double-crusted pie, at this stage, fill it and drape your second round of pie dough over the top. Trim it to a 1/2-inch overhang along with the lower crust. Either way, tuck the overhanging edge(s) under itself all the way around the pie.
Flute the edges of the pie crust using the forefinger of one hand and the thumb and forefinger of the other. The single-crust pie shell is ready to be blind-baked or filled. For a double-crusted pie, brush with an egg white, sprinkle with sugar, and cut vent holes in the top with a sharp knife before baking.
Par-baking
Par-bake crust for 20 mins at 400°F with pie weights and the edge crust shielded right from the start.
Remove weights then bake further 5-10 mins until lightly golden.
Filling
450 g pitted sour cherries
450 g rhubarb cut in 0.5-1 inch pieces
170 g sugar
2 tbsp or 40 g cornstarch
A pinch of salt
1 tsp of almond extract
Juice of ½ lemon
prepare the night before baking
Mix all of the above except cornstarch and allow the fruit to macerate releasing much of its juices. Add cornstarch and mix to dissolve. Cook on medium heat until the liquid just starts to thicken. Remove from the heat until needed.
Streusel Topping for Pies
1⅔ cups streusel, to top Makes 1⅔ cups streusel, enough for one 9- or 10-inch pie topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
4 teaspoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes, at room temperature
Prepare the night before baking and refrigerate.
Stir together the flour, brown and granulated sugars, and salt in a large bowl. Sprinkle in the butter pieces and toss to coat. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until the butter is incorporated and the mixture is chunky but not homogenous.
Chill for at least 15 minutes before using.
The streusel will keep refrigerated for 5 days or frozen for 1 month.
Once the par-baked crust has cooled 20-30 mins fill crust with the filling spreading it evenly. Top with the streusel.
Bake at 425°F for 20-25 mins with the edge shielded then 375°F until the juices are bubbling, 25-30 mins. Allow to cool fully before slicing.
