Little Cherry Pies
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With the same great taste as other cherry pies, |
| 2 | packages refrigerated pie crusts (4 crusts) |
| 1½ | cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling |
| 5 | tbsp cornstarch |
| 1 | tsp grated lemon zest |
| 3 | lb pitted sweet red or black cherries |
| 2 | tbsp fresh lemon juice |
| ½ | tsp almond extract |
| 8 | tsp cold unsalted butter, cut into bits |
| 2 | large eggs, beaten |
DIRECTIONS:
| 1. | Adjust oven rack to lowest position. Heat oven to 425ºF. |
| 2. | Unroll two pie crusts and cut each into quarters. Line eight (5-inch) individual pie pans |
| with dough, rolling and trimming to fit, letting dough slightly overlap edge of pans. Fold | |
| Dough under to meet pan edges. | |
| 3. | In a bowl, mix sugar, cornstarch, and zest. Add cherries, lemon juice, and extract; toss |
| until sugar is moistened. Spoon filling into pie shells. Place bits of butter evenly on | |
| filling. | |
| 4. | Unroll next two crusts. With a pizza cutter, cut them into ½-inch-wide strips. Weave 5 |
| strips of dough for each mini-pie, cutting strips to fit each pan in a lattice design over | |
| filling; trim ends. Press strip ends to edges of bottom crust. Brush with egg wash, | |
| then sprinkle each with a little sugar. | |
| 5. | Place pies on a baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375ºF and bake |
| 30 minutes longer, or until crust is golden and filling is bubbling. Cool completely on | |
| a wire rack. |