Apple and Tart Cherry Pie with a Buttermilk Crust#10

You may or may not have read about our Pi(e) party here.
And if you didn't, you should know I made 6 pies this weekend (five new pies that I will post on this blog and one repeat, the chocolate cream pie, since it seemed like it would be a crowd pleaser).

Here's the thing with apple pie. There are probably 1,000 ways to make an apple pie and they are all good. I mean, who doesn't like apple pie? But to really make one that knocks you socks off is a little bit harder and let's just say my socks were not knocked by this one although, it was still pretty good.

And not to discourage you on this apple-cherry combination, but it should be noted that it was my least favorite of all the pies at the party (which is why I'm posting it first...we'll work up to the best one). We talked about it after the party and I think that if it weren't up against such flavorful pies (which it was at the party) AND if it were made in the fall (since the cloves give it a very harvesty flavor) it's a pretty decent pie.

Also, I think that the buttermilk crust was worth trying, but it was only okay. The bottom crust was a little on the soggy side and it almost seemed like the sour buttermilk flavor cooked right out of the dough and in the end it tasted kind of like your basic homemade crust.

Was that just a whole load of rambling contradictions?

In short:
Pretty good for an apple pie, but
don't make it until Thanksgiving
and don't pit it against pies with a whole lot of flavor because I was expecting a lot more tartness from those "tart" little cherries I mixed in there.

Apple and Tart Cherry Pie with a Buttermilk Crust

Buttermilk Crust
(Adapted from epicurious.com)

2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, diced

1/2 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

Apple and Tart Cherry Pie

3/4 cup sugar

4 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

3 to 3 1/4 pounds large apples (about 6, though I used 8), peeled, quartered, cored, and sliced

3/4 cup dried tart cherries

1/4 cup cherry preserves

Glaze

One egg white

Directions

The Crust:
Combine flour, sugar and salt in large bowl. Add butter and shortening. Cut in using hands or pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk and stir with fork until moist clumps form.

Press together to form dough. Divide dough in half. Gather dough into balls; flatten into disks. Wrap separately and chill 1 hour.

The Pie:
Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Combine all ingredients and make sure apples are coated.

Roll out 1 dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Spoon filling into crust. Roll out second dough disk on floured surface to 13-inch round. Arrange dough over filling and cut out a small hole from center or decorative steam vents. Trim double overhang to 3/4 inch. Fold under, crimp edge. Brush crust (except edge) with glaze.

Place pie on baking sheet. Bake until apples are tender; cover crust with foil if browning too quickly, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool on rack. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store at room temperature.)