I wanted to make something for my sweetie pie this year for Valentine’s Day.
What’s better than a little slice of pie?
Cherry Pie…Chocolate Pie…Chocolate Cherry Pie ~ with a hint of balsamic reduction.
Can you see it?
Can you smell it?
Can you taste it?
I’ll bet you can ~ and, needless to say, this little Valentine’s Day treat was a heartfelt hit.
Chocolate Cherry Balsamic Pie
1 recipe BEST Homemade Pie Crust**
16 oz. frozen cherries, thawed, juice reserved
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup cane sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 pinch of salt
10 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
**BEST Homemade Pie Crust:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. sea salt
2 sticks butter, ice cold (if not frozen) and cut into chunks
1 large egg
1 Tbs. white vinegar
4 Tbs. ice cold water
In the bowl of a large food processor, combine the flour and salt. Add the frozen chunks of butter and pulse 3-5 times. Add the egg and vinegar pulse another 5 times. While pulsing slowly, add the cold water until the mixture begins to break into beads. DO NOT use too much water or the dough will be sticky. You sort of have to go by feel…as with many things.
Transfer the dough to the counter and form into two balls, handling as little as possible and praying your counter surface is also COLD.
Wrap in plastic and chill 30-60 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium pot, combine the reserved juice of the frozen cherries, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and flour. Whisk together over medium heat until thick. Add the thawed cherries and cook until reduced, by about half. Add the chocolate chips and stir until melted.
Roll out the chilled dough balls on a floured surface. Place one rolled sheet in the bottom of a pie plate, fluting the edges. Reserve the other rolled out dough ball for decorating the top of the pie, using lattice, cut-outs, or a full-on top (vented, of course, for baking).
Pour filling into prepared pie dough plate and top with desired dough lattice, cut-outs, or full-on top. Pinch all edges together and form beautiful fluting, again, around the edges to seal.
Bake for about 40 minutes, until set.
Remove from oven and cool thoroughly before slicing.
Happy Valentine’s Day to you and your honey pie.
