Cherry Plum Slab Pie With Walnut Streusel Food

CHERRY PLUM SLAB PIE

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture resembles coarse meal and the butter is the size of small peas.
• Add 1 tablespoon of water and continue mixing. Add more water as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a dough forms.
• Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Remove the dough from refrigerator. If necessary, let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes until slightly softened but still cold.
• Lightly flour a work surface. Roll out the dough into a rectangle about 1/8-inch thick.
• Transfer the dough to a quarter sheet pan (approximately 9"x 13"). Trim any excess dough from the edges, or tuck under the excess dough to form a thicker edge. Crimp the edges as desired for a decorative edge.
• Place the pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
• Pit the cherries and plums. Slice the plums into 1/4-1/2" slices. Cut the cherries in half if you prefer smaller pieces.
• In a large bowl, stir together the cherries, plums, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Combine the flour, brown sugar, almonds, cinnamon, and salt. Add the butter, and mix with a pastry blender, a fork, or your fingers until crumbs form. Set aside.
• Transfer the filling to the chilled crust, spreading evenly. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the top of the filling.
• Place the pan on a larger rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper to catch any spills.
• Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until the crust is browned and the filling is bubbly. Allow the pie to cool before serving.

CHERRY PLUM SLAB PIE WITH WALNUT STREUSEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, combine cherries, plums, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice; toss to coat., On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 16x12-in. rectangle; transfer to an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Trim even with rim of dish. Add filling. For topping, in a small bowl, mix oats, walnuts, flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling., Bake until filling is bubbly and crust is golden brown, 50-55 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

PLUM SLAB PIE

Steps:

• For the crust: Combine the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a food processor and mix until combined. Add the butter and pulse until evenly combined and the size of small pebbles. Pour in the vinegar and pulse 1 to 2 times until just combined. With the food processor running, slowly pour in the cold water, adding just enough for the dough to form a ball. You may not need the entire 1/3 cup of water.
• Remove the dough from the food processor and form it into a ball. Cut off about a third of the ball so you have a small piece (about 10 ounces) and a larger piece (about 1 pound 6 ounces; see Cook's Note). Form both pieces of dough into discs, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet very lightly with cooking spray.
• Dust a work surface lightly with flour. Roll the larger disc of dough into a rectangle that is 2 inches larger on all sides than the baking sheet. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and then unfold it over the baking sheet, gently guiding the dough into the baking sheet and lightly pressing it into the corners, sides and bottom. Refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the pie.
• Lightly dust the work surface with flour and roll out the smaller disc of dough into a 20-by-12-inch rectangle. Place a ruler along the 12-inch side of the dough and make a mark with a pizza cutter every 1/2 inch. Turn the ruler along each mark and use it as a guide to cut a straight line, making twelve 1/2-inch strips that are 20 inches long. Transfer the strips of dough to a baking sheet, laying them diagonally so they fit and dusting the strips with flour as you lay them down. Refrigerate while you make the filling so the dough does not begin to stick together.
• For the filling: In a large bowl, mix together the plums, granulated sugar, cornstarch, almond extract, orange zest and juice, cinnamon, ginger and salt, making sure the plums are evenly coated. Let sit no more than 5 minutes.
• To assemble: Evenly spread the filling over the crust on the baking sheet. Lay one of the dough strips diagonally across the baking sheet from one corner to the other. Repeat laying strips parallel to the first piece evenly across the rest of the pie. You can cut strips down to size as you work your way towards the end of the pie, making sure to leave a bit of overhang on both sides.
• Take every other strip of dough and fold it back over itself so that it exposes a little more than half of the filling. Lay a long strip of dough in the opposite direction, going diagonally from one corner to the other. Fold the dough strips back down and you will begin to see a lattice form. Fold back every other strip of dough that you didn't fold back before, and then lay another strip of dough diagonally across the pie, working towards a corner. Continue this process until half the pie has a lattice top. Then rotate the pan and repeat the same process on the other side to finish the lattice.
• Fold the dough hanging over the sides of the pie up and over the edge, tucking the ends of the strips from the lattice top inside. This will ensure the strips of dough stay anchored to the edges of the pie. Crimp the edges of the dough using your pointer fingers and thumb to pinch the dough together.
• Whisk together the heavy cream and egg and brush evenly over the lattice top and edges of the pie. Sprinkle the entire pie with turbinado sugar and bake until the crust is a deep golden brown and bubbles form towards the middle of the pie, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let cool completely, at least 40 minutes.

CHERRY STREUSEL SLAB PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Unroll pie crusts; place one on top of the other on work surface. Fold sides in to make straight edges; roll crust into 14 x 12-inch rectangle. Fit dough into quarter sheet pan (rimmed 13x9-inch); trim and crimp edges. Refrigerate.
• In food processor, place Streusel ingredients. Cover and process until mixture is sandy and clumps up when pinched. Set aside. In large bowl, mix Filling ingredients.
• Spread filling evenly over refrigerated pie crust. Sprinkle generously with streusel; bake about 1 hour or until juices are bubbling. Cool on cooling rack at least 30 minutes before serving.

COCONUT STREUSEL CHERRY PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Stir 1/4 cup sugar and cornstarch together in a saucepan; add cherries and almond-flavored liqueur. Cook and stir mixture over low heat until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Spoon mixture into pie crust.
• Whisk flour and 3/4 cup sugar together in a bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture until texture of coarse crumbs; stir in coconut. Sprinkle topping over filling to within 2 inches of center.
• Bake in the preheated oven until coconut is toasted and topping is browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

CHERRY VANILLA SLAB PIE

Steps:

• Pulse flour, butter, lard and salt in a food processor until crumbly. Whisk 1 egg with 2 tsp (10 mL) lemon juice; add enough ice water to make 2/3 cup (150 mL). Add to the flour mixture and pulse until the dough comes together. Form into an oblong disk; chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). On a well-floured surface, roll dough into a large rectangle, about 1/8-inch (3 mm) thick. Trim dough into a 13 x 18-inch (32.5 cm x 45 cm) rectangle. Carefully transfer dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Stir sugar with cornstarch and lemon zest until combined. Sprinkle half of the mixture evenly down the length of one side of the rectangle, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) border. Arrange cherries evenly over sugar mixture. Whisk 1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice with vanilla; drizzle evenly over the cherries. Sprinkle remaining sugar mixture evenly over top.
• Fold dough over to cover the filling. Fold an additional 1/2-inch (1 cm) of dough from bottom layer over top layer along the edges; crimp with a fork to seal. Whisk remaining egg with a little water; brush all over pastry. Slash 4 vent holes in top. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until golden. Cool completely on baking sheet.
• Optional Glaze: Blend icing sugar with milk until smooth. Drizzle evenly over the cooled pie. Makes 12 servings.
• Tip: Fold dough into thirds or roll around a rolling pin to transfer it, after trimming, to the baking sheet.