We’ve all seen flag cakes before. Honestly, I’ve made two, and loved eating them. But, the world seems divided into cake people and pie people (after much soul searching, I think I may be a cake person. Frosting is just too damn enticing), and pie seems like a much more American choice than cake for the Fourth of July. To make my flag pie, I combined a square of blueberry filling under stars of pie crust, and cherry filling under stripes. As with almost everything, it’s best with a scoop of ice cream. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS (FLAG PIE):
1 recipe pie dough (below)
1 recipe cherry filling (below)
1 recipe blueberry filling (below)
1 egg
Sanding Sugar, for garnish
Small star cookie cutter
DIRECTIONS:
Pre heat oven to 375F.
On a well floured surface, roll out one disc of pie dough to about 1/8” inch thick, and gently lay into a pie plate. Trim the edges, and pinch to create a crimped edge.
Fill the pie with cherry filling, then, using a rubber spatula, push some away from a section of the pie and fill with blueberry. The idea is for the blueberry filling to go under the stars, and the cherry filling under the stripes.
Roll out the other half of dough to about 1/8” thick, and slice 4 long 1” pieces. Then, using a small star cookie cutter, cut stars out.
Copying the pattern of the American flag as best you can, place the stars in a corner over the blueberry section, and stripes over the cherry section.
Stir the egg with a bit of water and brush over the crust. Sprinkle with sanding sugar.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until pie is golden brown.
INGREDIENTS (PIE DOUGH):
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces (two sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces (or lard, shortening, and/or cream cheese)
1/4-1/2 cup ice water
DIRECTIONS:
In a food processor or quickly using your fingertips, combine the flour, sugar, salt and butter until the chunks of butter are broken down to the size of peas and the flour feels like wet sand. Add the first 1/4 cup of water and mix until the dough comes together easily. It’s too dry if it immediately clumps apart. Add two tablespoons of water at a time, you can always add more water but not more flour, so careful not to add too much!
Gather the dough into two balls and plop them on top of two sheets of plastic wrap. Loosely wrap up each ball and press down, smooshing the ball into a disc about an inch thick.
Pop them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes while you busy yourself with the other stuff.
INGREDIENTS (CHERRY FILLING):
2 cups pitted sour cherries
1 1/4 cups white sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
DIRECTIONS:
Place the cherries, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium-sized non-aluminum saucepan. Allow the mixture to stand for 10 minutes, or until the sugar draws out the cherries’ juices. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Lower the heat; simmer for 1 minute, or until the juices thicken and become translucent. Remove pan from heat, and stir in butter and almond extract. Allow the filling to cool to lukewarm.
INGREDIENTS (BLUEBERRY FILLING):
2 cups blueberries
1 1/4 cups white sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
DIRECTIONS:
Place the blueberries, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium-sized non-aluminum saucepan. Allow the mixture to stand for 10 minutes, or until the sugar draws out the blueberries’ juices. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Lower the heat; simmer for 1 minute, or until the juices thicken and become translucent. Remove pan from heat, and stir in butter and almond extract. Allow the filling to cool to lukewarm.
