Gluten Free Rustic Cherry Apple Pie
- Joe S.
- Jun 11, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 18, 2021
Easy to make gluten free pie loaded with a delicious cherry and apple filling!
Summer is coming and pie season begins ...although I may argue that pie season never ends and lasts all year long! The filling was just inspired by what I had in the pantry. Just a simple filling... and yet so satisfying, while capturing all the natural flavors from the cherries and apples, without being overpowered by sweetness or spices.
A pie is not a pie without a good crust... and a good crust should be buttery, flaky, and be able to hold the filling without getting soggy or falling apart. Here is a nice rustic open pie crust that is 100% gluten free and it bakes without breaking or falling apart... while remaining light and buttery.
I've tried so make gluten free pie crusts in the past and none of them turned out the way I wanted. So, I combine the elements from other recipes that I liked the most into one, and the result speaks for itself: the crust maintained its shape, baked to perfection,
and was light and flaky like a regular pie crust. It has become a true life saver for those special occasions where pies are called for without much notice!
Let's make it!
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 65 minutes
Makes one 9” pie and serves 8 to 10 people
You'll need a food processor to make this quick pie crust. Avoid handling the butter with your hands. The colder the butter the better. That's the secret to a flakey and light crust.
INGREDIENTS
Pie Crust
1/2 cup of unsalted butter (cubed and cold)
1 1/2 cups of Pillsbury Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Blend
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of ice cold water
2 tablespoons of vegetable shortening
Pie Filling
2 Granny Smith apples
1 to 1 1/2 pounds of fresh cherries (pitted and halved)
1/4 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of orange juice
2 teaspoons of corn starch
Method
In a bowl add the cherries and sugar. Macerate the cherries while making the pie crust. Set aside.
Pit the apples and cut into 1/2 inch slices (See Figure 1). Set aside.
In a food processor, add the flour, salt, vegetable shortening, and butter. Pulse until all incorporated.
Set on mix and slowly add 2 tablespoons of water at a time. You might not need to use all the water. Once the pie crust has become pliable and comes together, it is ready.
Apply some gluten free flour to a flat surface. Transfer the pie crust from the processor onto the flat surface. The crust will be somewhat "sticky". Form onto a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This will help the fats to solidify again, which in turn will help the final product be flaky.
While the pie crust rests, cook the cherries with 1/2 cup of the orange juice in a medium size sauce pan at medium heat. Once it starts to bubble up, reduce the heat down to low and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
Mix the corn starch and the remaining orange juice, stir the mixture into the sauce pan, and remove from heat. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Lightly butter and then flour a 9" pie dish.
After at least 30 minutes have passed, remove pie crust ball from fridge. The ball should be solid at this point. Place the ball in the center of the pie dish and cover with a large piece of either plastic wrap or waxed paper. Using your hand or a the back of a spoon, gently press the dough down and out from the center of the dish to the sides. Do this until you have covered the entire pie dish. Using a fork, make wholes in the pie crust. (See Figure 2)
Bake for 45 minutes. Once the pie has baked, remove from heat and allow it to cool down for at least 10 minutes.
Once the crust has cooled down, add a layer of sliced apples to the bottom followed by the cherry filling. Top with more apple slices.
Place the pie in a baking tray and return to the oven for 25 minutes.
After 25 minutes have elapsed remove the pie from the oven, let it cool down, and enjoy!!!
Printable PDF recipe below:
Comments