Description
Indulge in this luscious Chocolate Cherry Black Forest Pie that combines a rich cocoa sour cream crust with a tart cherry filling, topped with a delicate lattice crust and a dollop of silky vanilla mascarpone whipped cream. Perfect for dessert lovers craving a fruity yet chocolatey delight.
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter (cut into 1 cm cubes and frozen)
- ⅓ cup sour cream (cold)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup cold water
Cherry Pie Filling
- 1 ½ lbs tart cherries (frozen, do not defrost, about 6 cups)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch (use 3 tablespoons for a saucier pie)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons cherry liquor (optional)
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
Topping and Glaze
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons coarse demerara sugar
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream (cold)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup mascarpone cheese (cold)
- ¼ bar dark chocolate (for shaving on top)
Instructions
- Make the Chocolate Sour Cream Pie Crust: In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, sea salt, and granulated sugar. Stir to blend. Add the cold, cubed frozen butter and work it into the dry ingredients with your fingers or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse peas and flour.
- Add wet ingredients to crust: Mix in the sour cream and vanilla extract with a spoon. Gradually add cold water one tablespoon at a time, mixing and kneading lightly with your hands until dough forms. Approximately two tablespoons of water are needed.
- Form and chill dough: Flatten the dough and fold it over itself three times in the bowl. Divide the dough into two equal parts and shape each into a disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight to firm up.
- Prepare the cherry pie filling: Preheat your oven to 355°F (180°C). In a large bowl, combine frozen tart cherries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, sea salt, ground cinnamon, cherry liquor (if using), and almond extract. Toss gently to coat evenly. Refrigerate to let the flavors meld while preparing the crust.
- Roll out bottom crust: On a floured surface, roll out one dough disk to about ¼ inch thick. Transfer carefully into a pie plate allowing it to fall naturally without stretching, ensuring even coverage across the bottom and edges.
- Add cherry filling: Pour the cherry filling into the prepared crust, making sure to include all the sugared bits. Center the filling in the crust without spreading it out too thinly.
- Create lattice top crust: Roll out the second dough disk similarly and cut it into 1.5 inch wide strips. Lay the strips in a lattice pattern over the cherry filling, overlapping the strips evenly.
- Trim and finish edges: Trim excess dough around the edges leaving about a one-inch overhang. Tuck this excess dough under itself at the edge of the pie plate and crimp the edges using fingers or a fork for a decorative finish.
- Glaze and sugar topping: Brush the top lattice crust with 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream. Sprinkle generously with coarse demerara sugar for a crunchy, sweet finish.
- Bake the pie: Place the pie on a cookie sheet and bake on the lower oven rack for 60 to 75 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the crust is crisp and browned. If edges or top crust brown too quickly, cover with foil to prevent burning.
- Cool the pie: Allow the pie to cool to warm or room temperature before serving to let the filling set properly.
- Prepare vanilla mascarpone whipped cream: In a large bowl or stand mixer, whisk cold heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and sea salt to medium-stiff peaks. Add the cold mascarpone cheese and continue whisking until stiff peaks form. Use immediately or refrigerate up to 3 days.
- Serve: Spoon a dollop of the whipped cream on each pie slice. Use a vegetable peeler to shave dark chocolate on top of the whipped cream for an elegant finish.
Notes
- Use frozen cherries without defrosting to prevent a soggy crust and ensure a thick filling.
- Adjust the cornstarch amount (3 or 4 tablespoons) depending on how runny or thick you prefer your pie filling.
- Chilling the dough well helps achieve a flaky, tender crust and prevents shrinkage while baking.
- If cherry liquor is unavailable or undesired, it can be omitted without significant impact on flavor.
- Shield the pie edges with foil midway through baking if they brown too fast to avoid burning.
- The whipped cream with mascarpone adds richness and balances the tart cherry flavor beautifully.
