Description

This Chocolate Cherry Black Forest Pie combines a rich chocolate sour cream crust with a tart cherry filling, topped with a lattice crust and finished with a luscious vanilla mascarpone whipped cream. Perfect for dessert lovers who enjoy a balance of chocolate and fruit flavors in a classic Black Forest style.

Ingredients

Scale

Chocolate Sour Cream Pie Crust

2 ¼ cup 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

Tart Cherry Pie Filling

1 ½ lbs tart cherries frozen, do not defrost (about 6 cups)
¾ cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons cherry liquor (optional)
½ teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons coarse demerara sugar

Vanilla Mascarpone Whipped Cream

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

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Prepare the Pie Crust: In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, sea salt, and granulated sugar. Add the cold, cubed butter and work it into the mixture until it resembles coarse peas and flour. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla extract well with a spoon. Gradually add cold water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing with your hands until the dough comes together, approximately two tablespoons total. Flatten and fold the dough three times in the bowl, then divide it in half and form two disks. Wrap each disk and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.
Prepare the Tart Cherry Filling: Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). In a large bowl, combine the frozen tart cherries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, sea salt, ground cinnamon, cherry liquor (if using), and almond extract. Mix well to coat all the cherries evenly. Set the filling aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Roll Out Pie Crust and Assemble Filling: On a floured surface, roll out one dough disk to ¼ inch thickness. Transfer it carefully into a pie plate, allowing it to settle without stretching. Fill the crust with the tart cherry mixture, including all the dry bits for full flavor, piling it in the center of the crust.
Create the Lattice Top: Roll out the second dough disk to the same thickness. Cut it into 1.5 inch wide strips and arrange them overlapping in a lattice pattern over the cherry filling. Trim the edges leaving about 1 inch excess and tuck the edges under the bottom crust edge. Crimp the edges using your fingers or a fork to seal the pie.
Prepare for Baking: Brush the lattice crust with heavy whipping cream and sprinkle evenly with coarse demerara sugar. Place the pie plate on a larger cookie sheet to catch drips and bake in the bottom half of the oven for 75 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the crust is crisp. If the edges or top crust brown too quickly, tent the pie with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
Cool the Pie: Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool to warm or room temperature before slicing and serving.
Make Vanilla Mascarpone Whipped Cream: In a large bowl or electric mixer, whip the cold heavy whipping cream with granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and sea salt using a wire whisk until medium-stiff peaks form. Add cold mascarpone cheese and continue to whip to stiff peaks. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Serve: Spoon a dollop of vanilla mascarpone whipped cream over each slice of pie. Use a vegetable peeler to shave dark chocolate over the whipped cream for garnish.

Notes

Make ahead: The pie and whipped cream can be made a day in advance and stored separately in the refrigerator.
Storage: Store the pie covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Avoid freezing due to cornstarch thickener; substitute arrowroot starch if freezing is necessary.
Do not overwork the butter in the crust to keep it flaky and tender.
Keep cherries frozen until filling preparation to make assembly easier.
Bake the pie until the filling bubbles, tenting with foil if the crust edges begin to brown prematurely.
Serve the pie warm for the best texture with a tender, crisp crust.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of pie)
Calories: 370 kcal
Sugar: 28 g
Sodium: 150 mg
Fat: 22 g
Saturated Fat: 13 g
Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 38 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 5 g
Cholesterol: 55 mg