Cherry Chocolate Pies

Muffin-sized pies make for perfect portion control, but the cherry-chocolate mixture is so delicious you’ll be tempted to reach for a second one. You can also create a fanciful lattice top by rolling half of the spelt dough out into a rectangle, slicing small strips the diameter of muffin cups, and then using these to create a lattice pattern over each pie.

3 1/2 cups (850 mL) sweet cherries, pitted and halved
3 oz (85 g) dark chocolate, finely chopped
1/3 cup (80 mL) organic coconut sugar or other raw-style sugar
1 Tbsp (15 mL) cornstarch or arrowroot powder
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3/4 tsp (4 mL) cinnamon
1/2 tsp (2 mL) almond extract
Prepared spelt pie dough (see recipe here)
1 whole free-range egg, beaten

In large bowl, stir together cherries, dark chocolate, sugar, cornstarch or arrowroot powder, lemon juice, cinnamon, and almond extract.

Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).

Grease 12 standard-sized metal muffin cups. Break first disc of spelt dough into 12 equal-sized balls. Roll out each ball into 1/8 in (0.3 cm) thick circles, making sure they are big enough to fill muffin cups with a little bit of overhang. If needed, borrow some dough from remaining half of pie dough since tops do not need to be as large as the bottoms.

Press circles of dough into muffin cups and fill each with an equal amount of cherry filling.

Divide remaining half of pie dough, and roll out 12 more circles that are slightly smaller than the circles used for pie bottoms. Place the circles over each pie cup and gently crimp dough together around the edges to adhere.

Brush tops with egg. Using small paring knife, cut 2 small slits in an X pattern in top of each pie to allow for venting.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until crust is golden and filling is bubbling. Let cool for several minutes and then very carefully use butter knife to loosen edges of each pie and gently lift each out.

Serves 12.

Each serving contains: 288 calories; 4 g protein; 16 g total fat (9 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 33 g total carbohydrates (15 g sugars, 5 g fibre); 108 mg sodium

source: "Life of Pi(e)", alive #383, September 2014