old fashion cherry lavender pie~

 

Old-Fashioned Cherry Pie with Lavender

1 cup plus 2 tbs sugar

1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca

1 tbs dried lavender, finely ground

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

6 cups frozen or fresh cherries (you’ll need about 2 pounds of fresh)

2 tbs vanilla

1 tbs lavender sugar (recipe follows)

Prepare the pie dough (recipe follows) and refrigerate for one hour. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, tapioca, lavender, salt and cinnamon.

Place cherries in large saucepan and stir over med-high heat for 5 minutes, or until slightly softened. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cherries to a large bowl. Add the sugar mixture to the cherry juices in the pan and simmer, stirring, for 3-5 minutes or until thickened. Pour over the cherries. Add the vanilla and stir to mix. Let cool.

On a lightly floured surface, roll one piece of dough into an 11-inch round. Fit the dough into a 9-inch pie plate, leaving a 3/4-inch overhang. Pour in the filling, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and chill.

Roll the remaining dough into an 11-inch round and use a sharp knife or fluted pastry wheel to cut into 1-inch wide strips. Working on a sheet of parchment paper set on a baking sheet, weave the pastry strips in a close lattice pattern. Refrigerate or freeze the lattice for 20 minutes, or until firm.

Brush the edges of the filled shell with cold water and slide the lattice off the parchment and onto the pie. Let stand for 10 minutes to soften the lattice. Trim the edges flush with the rim of the pie plate and crimp decoratively. Gently brush the lattice top with cold water and sprinkle with lavender sugar.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 50-60 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the filling bubbles. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm.

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Lavender Pie Dough

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbs sugar

1 tbs dried lavender, finely ground

1 tsp salt

1/4 pound cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup shortening, chilled and cut into pieces

1/4 cup cold water

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, lavender, and salt. Pulse to mix. Scatter the butter and shortening over the flour and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Do not over process. Add the water and pulse until the dough starts to clump; if the dough is not clumping, add water 1 tsp at a time. Gather the dough into a ball and divide in half. Flatten each piece into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for one hour.

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Lavender Sugar

1 tbs dried lavender

2 cups sugar

In a spice grinder or with mortar and pestle, grind the lavender with 1 tbs of sugar until finely ground. Transfer to a bowl and add remaining sugar. Transfer to a jar, seal tightly, and let stand for at least three days before using. (Note: lavender sugar is great in making fresh lemonade or to sweeten iced tea. Try it on the rim of cocktails for something extra special.)

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lavender whip cream

1/2 c heavy cream

1 T lavender sugar

1 T brandy or rum

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