Always Delicious Cherry Pie

Ingredients

• 1 deep dish pastry for double crust
• 2 (16.5 ounce) cans pitted dark sweet cherries, drained with syrup reserved
• 1 (16 ounce) can pitted sour cherries, drained
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3 tablespoons arrowroot powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/8 teaspoon red food coloring

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out one crust, and place in a 9 inch deep dish pie plate. Roll out top crust, and set aside.

Measure 1 1/2 cups reserved cherry syrup into a small saucepan over low heat. Mix together sugar, arrowroot powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir into syrup until dissolved. Increase heat to high, and bring syrup to a boil. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat, and stir in butter, lemon juice, vanilla, almond extract, and red food coloring.

In a large bowl, combine cherries and thickened syrup. Gently toss until evenly coated. Pour filling into pie crust. Cover with top crust, and crimp edges with fork. Make a few fork vents in top pie crust to allow steam to escape during baking.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Continue to bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool for 3 hours before serving.