How to Bake a Cherry Pie

Baking a cherry pie is a delicious and rewarding experience that can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of their baking experience. Here are the steps to bake a cherry pie:

Ingredients: - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour - 1 teaspoon salt - 1 teaspoon sugar - 1 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces - ¼ to ½ cup ice water - 5 cups fresh or frozen cherries, pitted - 1 cup sugar - ¼ cup cornstarch - 1 tablespoon lemon juice - ½ teaspoon almond extract - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces - 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar. Mix well.

3. Add the chilled butter pieces and use a pastry cutter or your hands to mix the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse sand.

4. Gradually add ice water, a tablespoon at a time, and mix until the dough comes together. You may not need to use all of the water.

5. Divide the dough in half and flatten each half into a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

6. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and almond extract. Mix well.

7. On a floured surface, roll out one of the dough disks into a circle that's about 12 inches in diameter. Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie dish, trimming any excess dough from the edges.

8. Pour the cherry filling into the pie dish.

9. Dot the top of the filling with small pieces of butter.

10. Roll out the second dough disk into a circle that's about 12 inches in diameter. Use a pastry cutter or a knife to cut the dough into strips.

11. Arrange the strips in a lattice pattern on top of the cherry filling.

12. Brush the lattice with the beaten egg wash.

13. Bake the pie for 45-50 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.

14. Allow the pie to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Enjoy your delicious cherry pie!