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Cherry Crumb Pie

Earlier in the summer, I bought 7 pounds of tart cherries from nearby Robinette’s Orchard. Even with a good cherry pitter, it took a while to pit all of the cherries. But it was worth the time and effort. I made a couple of pies and I froze the rest for later use. One of the pies I made was this Cherry Crumb Pie.

There are a few other orchards nearby that grow cherries (mostly the sweet variety) and occasionally I have seen tart cherries at the local Farmers Markets. But the main cherry production is in the Grand Traverse area.

Cherry trees were planted there in 1852 by Peter Dougherty, a Presbyterian missionary and one of the first European settlers in the Traverse City Area. As it happened, the cherry trees thrived and today with 3.8 million tart cherry trees. Michigan produces 70 to 75 percent of the tart cherries grown in the United States. The primary variety grown is the Montmorency. This type of cherry is excellent for pies, preserves, and juice. Source is here.

I did find frozen Michigan tart cherries at a local food specialty store. Good to know for future pie baking.

Cherry Crumb Pie

Servings: 6
Difficulty: easy
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1 refrigerated piecrust (such as Pillsbury)

4 cups tart (sour) cherries
1 cup sugar, divided
4 tablespoons cornstarch
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon almond extract

Crumb Topping
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
pinch of salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/2 cup slivered almonds

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Fit the pie crust into a 9-inch pie pan and crimp as desired. Refrigerate until ready to add the pie filling.

Toss the cherries with 1/2 cup of the sugar. Place in a colander set over a large bowl to catch any juices. Let sit, stirring occasionally until 1/2 cup of liquid has drained from the cherries.

In a large saucepan, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, cornstarch, and salt, Add the cherries and the 1/2 cup cherry juice. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2-4 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in the almond extract. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

In a food processor bowl, mix the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, flour, and salt together. Add the butter and process until the mixture is crumbly; it should still have a dry look to it – don’t over process. Add the nuts and pulse till coarsely ground. Set aside.

Pour the cherry filling mixture into the unbaked pie shell. Sprinkle the almond crumb mixture over the cherry filling. Place the pie plate on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and filling is bubbling. If necessary, cover the pie with foil to prevent excessive browning. Remove the baked pie to a wire rack and cool before serving.