Ok, I know that’s not the line, it’s the coffee line – but I’m pretty sure that Agent Cooper would approve. Much like he’d approve of my cherry pie… I’m not sure that it’d put the infamous cherry pie at Norma’s Diner to shame but still it’s a pretty damn good pie!
Now, if all of these references are going over your head don’t worry I shall explain. It is all from a early 90s TV series (and film) called ‘Twin Peaks’ directed by David Lynch – it is seriously dark, quirky, creepy but also incredibly gripping. In the show the FBI Agent Dale Cooper heads an investigation into the murder of the homecoming queen Laura Palmer. The show is full of beautiful pin-up ladies such as the deliciously naughty psychofox Audrey Horne.
There are mad backwards talking scenes in the infamous ‘Black Lodge’ with it’s luscious red curtains and black and white zig-zag lino flooring. There’s even a lady that carries a log around with her like it’s a baby – yes a log!!! Oh and there is a cameo somewhere along the line with David Duchovny as DEA Agent Dennis who later becomes a Denise!
The whole show oozed mystique and sex appeal, and the colour red is plastered everywhere ready to seduce you.
Agent Cooper loved coffee but he also loved his cherry pie! I hope you love my pie just as much as he would!
It’s gluten-free, grain-free, and there is a Vegan substitution for the pastry. This pie is seriously sweet, juicy and just perfect with a nice big cup of coffee. Sour cherries are best for this, so the fresher you can get, the better. If you are using very ripe or sweet cherries I would recommend that you add in some lemon juice to sour it up.
I also used apricot kernels in this to add to the bitter almond flavour. If you can get hold of them I would definitely recommend it, but be careful as excess consumption of apricot kernels can be fatal! You should not consume more than 2 kernels a day!
There is a slight bit of skill involved in making this pie as you will have to do a spot of lattice work but if the prospect of this scares you and you really can’t bear to do it then just make it an open pie, which would be equally as pretty. You could also top it completely.
I have included a recipe for some ‘Noyau Cream’ in this post as it is super scrummy and brings an amazing freshness to the whole pie experience. The noyau is simply the tiny kernel within the stone of a an apricot or even cherry. It really has the nicest flavour you can imagine, much like marzipan!
I also topped my pie with my Paleo Faux Icing Sugar once it had cooled!
Makes: 10 slices
Preparation time: 50 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
For the Paleo pastry:
200g tapioca flour
100g almond flour
200g raw grass-fed unsalted butter (substitute for 100g coconut oil for Vegan option)
Pinch of Himalayan pink salt
1 tbsp coconut sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla powder (optional but yummy)
Juice & pulp of 1 orange
30ml ice cold water
For the cherry filling:
500g sour cherries (if you cannot get sour cherries add juice 1/2 lemon)
100g coconut sugar
2 tbsp tapioca flour
1/2 tbsp Kirsch (is optional but naughty in a great way)
1 tsp bitter almond extract
1/4 tsp vanilla powder
6 apricot kernels
For the egg wash:
1 free-range egg (omit if you are Vegan)
A splash of your favourite nut milk
A couple of drops of bitter almond extract
For the Paleo ‘noyau’ style cream:
1 tin coconut milk (refridgerated overnight)
1/4 tsp vanilla powder
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp bitter almond extract
6 apricot kernels
Method:
- The night before place your tin of coconut milk (for the noyau cream) into the fridge and leave until needed.
- Firstly start on your pastry. In a small mixing bowl sieve in your flours, sugar and salt. Add your vanilla powder and mix.
- Chop your butter into small cubes and throw in.
- Cover the bowl with cling film, give it a good shake until the butter is covered by the flour and then place into the freezer for 20 minutes. This is what makes your pastry lovely and light and crumbly.
- In the meantime freshly squeeze your orange juice, removing the pulp at the same time. Pop it into the fridge to chill until needed.
- Remove your flour and butter bowl from the freezer and pour into your food processor. Process until it comes together into small oat like sized balls.
- Pulse in your orange juice and pulp. Process until it only just starts to come together as a ball.
- Remove the pastry from the processor, cover in cling film and leave to chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Whilst you are waiting begin to prepare your cherry filling. De-stone all of your cherries.
- Crush the apricot kernels into a fine powder using a pestle and mortar. Once this is done stir in all of the ingredients for your filling, cover with clingfilm and leave in the fridge to allow the flavours to seep out into the ‘sauce’.
- Remove your dough from the fridge place back into the food processor and pulse in 2 tsp of your chilled water. Process on full speed until the dough has warmed up enough to be handled.
- Lightly grease a 9″ fluted edge (loose based) pie tin with some butter or coconut oil.
- Lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin with some tapioca flour.
- Take 1/2 of your dough and lightly roll it out until it is about 1/2″ wider than the diameter of the tin. Carefully place it into the tin and press it down and around all of the indentations. Cut off any excess.
- Remove your pie filling from the fridge, give it a good stir and then pour into your pie crust. Place into the fridge.
- Pre-heat your oven to 180C.
- Quickly whizz up your remaining dough in the food processor again you may want to add a tsp of water again to get it going.
- Roll the dough out into a rectangle that has 1″ excess around all edges from the diameter of your pie tin (i.e.11″).
- Using a pairing knife or even a pizza cutter cut into 1cm-1.5cm strips. The wider the strips the easier it will be to make your lattice. Divide your strips equally by 2.
- Get a sheet of greaseproof paper out. Place half of your strips of dough vertically and place another at the very top leaving some excess to work with. Begin to weave it under and over until you get to the very end.
- Repeat the process with another piece of pastry until you have completely finished your lattice. Work as fast as you can as this dough likes to warm up, dry out and then becomes prone to breakage.
- Remove your pie from the fridge. Hold your pie very carefully at a diagonal angle. Get someone to hold it for you if you can. Line up your lattice and flip it over as fast and as carefully as you can so that it is placed evenly.
- Gently press the lattice and join it into the edges of the pie crust.
- If there are any breakages just carefully patch them up and don’t worry too much as once it has baked you won’t be able to see anything too serious. Cut off any excess pastry.
- Whisk up all of the ingredients for your egg wash and using a pastry brush wash over the lattice thoroughly.
- Place the pie onto a baking tray and place on the middle shelf of the oven.
- Cook for around an hour or until the pie filling is bubbling through right to the middle of the pie and the lattice is a beautiful golden brown. If you feel at any time that the lattice is cooking faster than the rest of the pie keep using your egg wash to prevent burning. You can also place a large cake tin over the top to almost ‘steam’ the pie if needs be.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.
- Prepare your noyau cream by removing your tin of chilled coconut milk from the fridge. Open the tin, poke a hole into the creamy top layer and drain out all of the water. Scoop out all of the solid cream into a large mixing bowl.
- Crush your apricot kernels and using a pestle and mortar to grind them into a fine powder.
- Add your ground apricot kernels and remaining ingredients into the cream and whisk using large strokes to beat in as much air as possible. This will make the cream nice and fluffy and light. Once the cream forms large stiff peaks it is done!
- Slice your pie and warm your slice gently in the oven on a low heat. Top with your noyau cream, grab a coffee and go wild!
4 Comments
Danielle @ Eat Primal, Run Hard
7th December 2014 at 9:25 amI am bookmarking this for future summer time use! I’m thinking apple pie, rhubarb pie or strawberry-rhubarb pie!
greensofthestoneage
9th December 2014 at 10:36 pmOoooh that sounds scrumptious!!!
Sarma
26th August 2015 at 4:35 amSo what happens if you go nuts and eat the whole damn pie, do you die of apricot kernel poisoning?
greensofthestoneage
26th August 2015 at 6:46 amMaybe but I’m no doctor but you could test it out for me . Those are simply the recommendations that are currently online and personally I like to err on the side of caution when it comes to the health and well-being of my followers! Like most medications toxicity levels come down to your height, weight, and immune system. Hope this helps!