We have been loving fresh fruit pies this summer. Summer sweet fruit coated in sticky gel, piled high in a crisp crust, topped with whipped cream!

I took a chance and grabbed some foil to create a Mickey shape on a pizza pan.

I then tucked a layer of foil over top.

Supplies grabbed. Flour, powdered sugar, salt.

Lard or shortening cut in until a fine crumb was noted.

Cold water added in until a ball forms. I like my dough on the sticky side. You can use a whisk to cut the dough if a pastry cutter is buried too far in your drawer.

On a well flowered tea towel, at least ¼ cup, I rolled out my dough.

I fold my dough into quarters, then lay it over my form.

My dough is pierced and ready to go. I crumbled foil over top and added dry beans to bake.

Once the crust is crisp and cool, sweetened cream cheese made the perfect bed for cherries.

Cherries tossed in gel, poured into the crust. Ready to spend some time in the fridge.

I can hardly wait!

Topped with whipped cream, ready to go!

Mmmm, Mmmm, Mmmm, Cherry Pie.

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 c flour, plus more for dusting

3 T powdered sugar

½ t salt

2 T lard or shortening

Cold water

Gel:

1 C water

2 T cornstarch

¼ C granulated sugar

1 regular size package cherry jello (sugar-free works!)

Optional, 1 t almond extract

Filling:

4 oz cream cheese

¼ C powdered sugar

2 lbs pitted sweet cherries

Method:

To make your own shaped ‘pan’, get a long sheet of foil and create a snake out of it. Bend into desired shape. Top with foil and gently press into your shape.

Combine dry crust ingredients together. Cut lard in. Slowly add cold water in until a semi-soft ball forms. Place dough on well floured surface, roll out, place in pie pan. Gently prick surface of dough to help not form air pockets. Crumple foil and pace on top of dough, add pie weights or dry beans. Bake 10 minutes in preheated 425F oven, remove foil/ weights, bake 5 more minutes. Let cool. Make sure that crust is not stuck to pan- if you made your own shape, you can remove it gently now.

Prepare gel by whisking water, cornstarch, and sugar together. Let boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat, add jello whisking well. Let cool at least 15 minutes before adding almond extract and adding to fruit.

Combine cream cheese and powdered sugar in a small bowl. Spread over cooled crust.

Toss fruit with gel, pour into prepared crust.

Chill at least 4 hours. Top with whipped cream. Devour quickly.

Try with fresh strawberries and strawberry jello or fresh peaches and orange jello.

Have you ever made or eaten fresh fruit pie? How about ever having eaten a strangely shaped pie?

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