Today’s Recipe: Old-Fashioned Mock Cherry Pie

No cherries? No problem! For those of you who are having a serious out-of-season craving, or just want to try something different, I present: Old-Fashioned Mock Cherry Pie.

MOCK CHERRY PIE
PREP TIME: 25 MINUTES PLUS I HOUR CHILLING TIME FOR PIE CRUST
COOK TIME: 1 HOUR PLUS 1 HOUR COOLING TIME
MAKES: 1-9” PIE (about 8 servings)

Crust:
2½  cups flour
1    t sugar
½   t salt
1    cup cold butter
5    T cold water

Filling:
2½  cups cranberries, fresh or frozen, diced
¾   cup raisins, finely chopped
1    cup sugar
1    T flour
¼   cup orange juice
1    t almond extract
1    T butter

1. To prepare pie crust, combine flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.
3. While stirring mixture, slowly add water until mixture begins to form a ball.
4. Shape into two disks and chill for 1 hour.
5. Once the dough has chilled, preheat oven to 400°F.
6. To prepare filling, add cranberries, raisins, sugar, and flour to a medium bowl. Stir to combine.
7. On a floured surfacem roll out one disk of dough to line the bottom of a 9” pie plate. Pour the filling into the pie plate, and then mix together the orange juice and almond extract and pour over the filling. Dot the filling with butter.
8. Roll out the second disk of dough for the top. Shape edges according to preference. Cut slits in the top of the pie and place on a baking sheet.
9. Place in the oven and bake at 400°F for 1 hour. To prevent over-browning, cover the edges with foil or a pie crust shield.
10. Remove from oven and allow pie to cool for at least 1 hour before serving.

Gather ingredients and preheat oven to 400°F.

In medium bowl, add 2½ cups diced cranberries.

Add ¾ cup finely chopped raisins.

Add 1 cup sugar.

Add 1 T flour.

Stir to combine.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to line the bottom of a 9” pie plate.

Pour in the filling.

Mix together ¼ cup orange juice and 1 t almond extract and pour over filling.

Dot filling with butter.

On lightly floured surface, roll out the second disk of dough for the top.

Place dough over the pie.

Shape edges according to preference.

Slice 4 slits into the top.

Place on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 1 hour, covering edges of pie crust with tin foil or pie crust edge protector the last 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for an additional hour before serving.

Cherry-free deliciousness.