CHOCOLATE CHERRY CHRISTMAS PIE

If you are looking for a dessert to crown your holiday feast, here is a killer pie that really rings the"dessert bell"!

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CHRISTMAS PIE

Chocolate Pie Dough:

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 cups of all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbs sugar

8 tbs butter (1 stick), cut into cubes

1/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup cup vodka

1 TBS cold water

Mix chocolate pie dough and divide into two disks and wrap in plastic wrap.  Chill for at least an hour.   Roll out one disk and fit into 9 inch pie plate.

Roll out the second disk and cut into star or other shapes with holiday cookie cutters.  Brush with egg white and sprinkle with sugar.  Place on parchment paper covered cookie sheet and chill along with pie.

Pie Filling:

1 1/4 cup sugar

4 tbs cornstarch

1 TBS tapioca

5 cups of frozen cherries thawed and drained

3 tbs lemon juice from a real life lemon

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

5 cups frozen cherries pitted and thawed

Reduce juice from cherries to ¼ cup

2 jars KC Classic Innovations Chrolate Cherry Fondue

Whipped cream

Preheat oven to 475.  Combine the sugar, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice and vanilla in a large bowl.  Mix in thawed cherries.  Allow to rest while you reduce the cherry juice by boiling it down to ½ cup.  Add to cherry mixture, stir well and spoon into pie shell.

Bake for 15 minutes, then turn oven down to 375 and finish baking for about 45 minutes or until the filling is thick and bubbly. If your crust looks like it is browning too much, cover it in foil.  Cool Pie completely. Spread one jar of KC Innovations Chocolate Cherry Fondue over the top of the cherry layer.  Pipe or spoon whipped cream over this layer and decorate with the chocolate cutouts.