Ingredients
- Pastry: 315 g all-purpose flour, 170 g cold unsalted butter, 1/2 tsp salt, 90 ml ice water
- 700 g pitted sour cherries, fresh or thawed
- 180 ml Québec maple syrup
- 35 g cornstarch
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg, beaten, for brushing
Method
- Rub butter into flour and salt, add ice water, form a dough, divide, wrap, and chill 30 minutes.
- Toss cherries with maple syrup, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla; rest 10 minutes.
- Roll one dough portion into the pie plate, fill with cherries, cover with the second rolled portion, and vent.
- Brush with egg and bake at 205 °C for 20 minutes, then 180 °C for 35–40 minutes until bubbling; cool completely.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 200 g granulated sugar
Conversion used: Replace 200 g sugar with 180 ml maple syrup; add 35 g cornstarch to bind the added liquid, and bake 15 °C below the usual 220/195 °C schedule.
Why Quebec maple syrup: Maple adds caramel depth to tart cherries while reducing reliance on refined sugar. Québec syrup makes the regional fruit pie distinctly local.
General rule: 1 cup (250 ml) sugar ≈ 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup; reduce liquids by 45–60 ml per cup of syrup and lower oven by 15 °C. Substitution calculator →