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Viennese Cherry Pie
Instructions
First, you need to prepare the cherries. If you have fresh cherries, be sure to remove the pits and drain them in a colander to let the excess liquid escape properly. If you don't do this preparation, too much cherry juice will prevent the pie from baking well, and the crumb will look unpleasantly raw. You can also use frozen berries for the pie. In this case, spread the cherries out in a colander to thaw completely. After that, remove the pits.
Prepare the ingredients for the dough. The flour should be sifted in advance to properly aerate it. The butter should be properly softened, at least a couple of hours before, it should be taken out of the refrigerator.
Let's start preparing. First, in a deep mixing bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together gently. Stir thoroughly to distribute everything evenly.
In a small separate bowl, crack the eggs. Set aside for now ready for the next step.
In a separate medium container, place the soft butter and add the measured sugar.
Beat with an electric mixer for several minutes total until you have a properly homogeneous light fluffy mass.
While continuing to beat, add the eggs one at a time to the buttery mixture.
In two to three gradual stages, add the prepared flour mixture to the egg mixture.
The dough is now properly ready; it has become smooth without any visible lumps.
Prepare the baking dish. It can be any ceramic or glass heat-resistant form or a springform pan for cakes. Since our dough is fairly liquid, it is essential to line the form with parchment paper. To achieve a beautiful edge on the finished pie, the paper should be laid with folds. The paper should be greased with oil beforehand.
Pour the prepared dough into the lined form. To compact the dough, the form should be rotated and gently tapped a few times against the working surface. Slightly dip a wooden skewer into the dough and go over the entire surface to release any trapped air bubbles.
By this time, the liquid from the cherries should have properly drained off; place the berries on the surface of the dough. They should be placed in a single even layer so that the berries do not sink to the bottom of the pan.
For decoration, the cherries can be sprinkled with chopped nuts; almond flakes will work absolutely perfectly. If there are no nuts available, it's not critical to the finished result.
Remove the "Viennese cherry pie" from the oven and let it cool for a while in the pan.
Take the pie out of the form, remove the parchment paper carefully. Transfer the pie to a serving dish.
Sprinkle the cooled pie with sifted powdered sugar for a beautifully classic finished appearance.
The Viennese cherry pie is now properly ready. Brew some fresh tea and invite everyone to the celebration table. Cut the pie into individual portioned slices at the table. Look at the beautiful crumb our pie has produced!Based on this beautifully versatile recipe, you can also prepare other baked goods by simply changing the fruits. Peaches, pears, and other stone fruits will pair perfectly with this cake base. Bon appetit at tea time!Cook with pleasure!
Tips
- 1
Drain the pitted cherries thoroughly before placing them on top of the dough, since excess fruit juice would soak into the batter and prevent proper baking through to the centre. The brief draining step in a colander for about 15 minutes genuinely matters for the most beautifully baked finished crumb every single time. Pat the drained cherries dry with kitchen paper for the absolute best moisture removal.
- 2
Soften the butter properly to room temperature before beating with the sugar, since cold hard butter would not cream properly and would produce a noticeably denser finished cake. To pair this beautifully aromatic Austrian-style cherry pie with another properly classic homemade dessert from the same European baking tradition, try our beautifully tender orange biscuit in the oven as a contrasting citrus-flavoured alternative for properly varied tea-time spreads.
- 3
Top the cherries in a single even layer rather than piling them up, since piled fruit sinks to the bottom of the cake during baking and produces an unattractive uneven finished cross-section. The brief patience for proper spacing genuinely matters for the most beautifully presented finished pie every single time. Almond flakes scattered between the cherries add lovely visual contrast and added crunch.
- 4
Dust the cooled finished pie generously with sifted icing sugar just before serving for the most beautifully classic Austrian-style finished presentation. For another properly classic homemade fruit-based dessert recipe to add variety to your celebration menu, try our beautifully striped Zebra Pie on kefir in the oven as a contrasting two-tone alternative for properly varied weekend baking projects.
FAQ
Can I use other fruits? +
Absolutely. The same cake batter base works absolutely brilliantly with peaches, pears, apricots, plums, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, or even sliced fresh apples for properly different finished flavour profiles. Each fruit brings its own character to the cake. Adjust the total baking time slightly based on the moisture content of the chosen fruit: drier fruits like apples need slightly less time, while juicier fruits like peaches or apricots may need a few extra minutes total in the oven for proper baking.
Can I use frozen cherries? +
Yes, frozen cherries work absolutely brilliantly as a year-round alternative to fresh seasonal cherries in this Austrian recipe. Thaw the frozen cherries completely in a colander first to drain off the excess water released during the thawing process. Pat them dry with paper towels before placing on top of the cake batter. The finished result with frozen cherries is genuinely indistinguishable from the fresh-cherry version, which makes this a beautifully convenient recipe to make all year round.
How long does this cake keep? +
Store the cooled Viennese cherry pie covered loosely with cling film at room temperature for up to two days for best results, or refrigerate covered for up to a full week. The flavours actually improve slightly during the first 24 hours as the components properly meld into the harmonious whole. For longer storage, freeze the whole pie or individual slices wrapped in cling film and foil for up to two months. Thaw frozen portions overnight in the refrigerator before serving for the best finished texture.
Can I make this without nuts? +
Absolutely. Skip the almond flakes entirely if you have a nut allergy or simply prefer a nut-free finished version. The cake still tastes beautifully delicious without the topping nuts thanks to the bright fresh cherry flavour and the aromatic vanilla in the cake batter. For added visual interest without nuts, sprinkle the surface with coarse Demerara sugar before baking for a beautifully crackling sugar crust on the finished cake top, or simply dust generously with icing sugar after baking instead.
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