The Southern Pie Book Review and Chunky Chocolate-Cherry Pie Recipe

This week I have another new cookbook to share with you! The The Southern Pie Book (Southern Living) written by Jan Moon (owner of Dreamcakes Bakery in Birmingham) is a great collection of Southern tarts, pies, cobblers and hand pies with some really nice recipes for fall and holiday entertaining. I have made myself a list of all the desserts I want to make from this cookbook, here are just a few: Fresh Strawberry Pie with Pretzel Crust, Red Velvet Pie, Banana Cream Pie, Frosty Peppermint Pie, Mocha Fudge Cobbler and Mini Bananas Foster Pies! Don’t they all sound delish? The cookbook is broken down into 11 chapters.

1. From the Bottom Up-Pie and Tart Crusts
2. Truly Southern-Classic Southern Pies
3. Fresh Picked-Fruit Pies
4. Whipped Together-Cream, Meringue & Ice-Cream Pies
5. Rustic to Elegant-Tarts & Galettes
6. Baked Until Bubbly-Cobblers & Crisps
7. Hot to Handle-Hand Pies & Fried Pies
8. Pie Aplenty-Slab Pies
9. Top That-Pie Toppings
10. Easy as Pie-Equipment
11. Pure and Simple-Ingredients

The recipe I made was from the Pie Aplenty chapter, a slab pie called Chunky Chocolate-Cherry Pie. I made the pie for our church picnic and I came home with an empty pan! It was adored by cherry lovers and several took slices home with them. I call that a success.

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Chunky Chocolate-Cherry Pie

Prep Time

2 hrs 20 mins

Cook Time

50 mins

Total Time

3 hrs 10 mins

 

Servings: 12

Author: cindy

Ingredients

• 5 cups fresh or frozen pitted tart cherries thawed and drained
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 3 cups sugar divided
• 3/4 tsp almond extract divided
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp table salt
• 1 cup butter softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1 12 oz package chocolate chunks

Instructions

For the filling

1. Combine cherries, cornstarch and 1 1/3 cups sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat
   
2. Bring to a boil
3. Boil, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until thickened
4. Remove from heat, cool completely (about 1-1 1/2 hours)
5. Stir in 1/4 tsp almond extract

For the dough

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl
   
3. Beat butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar and remaining 1/2 tsp almond extract in a large bowl at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy
   
4. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition
5. Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until blended
6. Spread 2/3 of dough in bottom of a lightly greased 13x9 inch baking dish
   
7. Spoon cherry mixture over dough
   
8. Sprinkle with chocolate chunks
9. Drop remaining 1/3 of dough by tablespoonfuls onto cherry mixture
10. Sprinkle with remaining 2 Tbs sugar
    
11. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until golden brown
12. Cool at least 1 hour before serving

Recipe Notes

Total time includes 2 separate 1 hour cooling periods

This recipe was very different from any others I have made, which is good because I like to stretch myself. If you like to bake, or have a baker on your Christmas shopping list I suggest you get a copy of The Southern Pie Book (Southern Living).

I hope you enjoy this recipe and all of the easy recipes I share here on The Mom Maven. I hope you share them on your social networks ie. Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and G+. I just ask that you not copy and share the entire recipe with photos. Please use the sharing buttons below and share the link to this post. Thanks!

Disclosure: This is a compensated post. All opinions are 100% mine.