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Apple Cherry Pie for a Crowd

Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 24 servings
Author Si Foster, A Bountiful Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 1 disposable steam table pan measuring 12x20 or two half size steam table pans

for crust:

  • 2 cups all purpose flour + more for rolling out
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons shortening I use half butter flavor and half regular Crisco
  • ½- 3/4   cup very cold water

for pie filling:

  • 12-14 small or 8-10 large apples peeled cored and sliced ( I like Granny Smith) about 14 cups
  • 2 cups fresh canned or frozen sour cherries, washed and drained well or thawed if frozen 2-15 oz cans or 1 28-30 oz can (the cherries should be packed in water if canned)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoons almond extract optional
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • juice from 1/2 of a lemon about 2 tablespoons
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoon of butter 
  • 1 egg
  • sugar for top of pie

Instructions

  1. For crust (make this before making the filling, set aside after rolled out)
  2. Mix flour and salt.
  3. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or knives until the shortening is the size of small peas.
  4. Add water.
  5. Fold with fork until flour is absorbed and dough comes together.
  6. Flour surface and rolling pin well.
  7. Flatten dough gently with hand to make oval shape. Roll out from center to about 1/8” thickness. roll dough to fit the pan.
  8. Fold dough in half, lift onto pan after filling has been poured into pan and butter placed on top of fruit.
  9. Open folded pie dough and shape to pan.

For pie filling:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place rack in middle of oven.
  2. Prepare crust. Roll out crust ann set aside until ready to top pie.
  3. Place cut up apples in large bowl and mix gently with sour cherries.
  4. Add rest of filling ingredients.
  5. Fill pan with apple cherry mixture.
  6. Place rolled out crust on top of filling in pan. Dot with butter, if using.
  7. Make slits on top of pie for steam to escape. Brush with egg wash if desired, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar.
  8. Bake for about 45 minutes or until filling is bubbly and crust is golden.
  9. Cover loosely with foil if crust is getting too brown.
  10. Total baking time is usually 45-50 minutes but may vary in your oven.
  11. Remove pie from oven and let cool for at least 2-3 hours before serving.

Recipe Notes

Tips for pie crust:

  • Dough may be easier to handle if chilled for an hour or so.
  • Try rolling the dough around the rolling pin and then unrolling right onto the pan.
  • Try ½ regular and ½ butter flavor Crisco.
  • Some people like to “cut” the flour in with their fingers.
  • Don’t cut the flour and shortening too much, the pieces of shortening are what make the crust flaky, you want to have pebble or pea size pieces of dough before adding the water.
  • Brush beaten egg white or a whole egg, beaten over your pie dough before baking to produce a shinier crust. I also sprinkle on a bit of sugar before baking after the egg wash is brushed on.

Steam table pans measure 12"x 20" or for the half size, or 10 3/8" x 12 3/4"