Fresh Cherry Pie With Whipped Cream and Black Currant Sauce

Pie Dough

8 ounces butter (2 sticks), cold and cut in small squares
4 ounces vegetable shortening (8 tablespoons)
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup iced water
4 four-inch pie shells

Cut the butter and shortening into the dry ingredients in a Cuisinart or by hand until most of it is incorporated. Add iced water and combine well. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or overnight.

Roll out the dough and line the small pie shells. Freeze the dough for twenty minutes. Add filling to the shells and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, or until dark golden and the juices start running on the sides of the crust.

Cherry Filling

2 cups cherries, pitted (preferably Bing cherries)
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons flour

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Black Currant Sauce

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup black currant purée (found in specialty stores), or black currant spread

Heat the sugar and water until sugar dissolves. Combine (if using spread, blend syrup with preserve) and strain. Add more or less syrup to achieve the desired thickness.

Whipped Cream

1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Chill a bowl for 5 minutes, then add cream and sugar and whip until just beginning to hold its shape.

To serve, drizzle black currant sauce over cherry pie and top with a dollop of whipped cream. Yields 4 four-inch pies.