Filling

3 cups pitted cherries

1 cup organic raisins

¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

3 Tablespoons brandy

1 cup Wholesome Sweeteners Fair Trade Organic Sugar

3 Tablespoons cornstarch (or tapioca starch)

2 Tablespoons minute tapioca

1½ teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 cup chopped walnuts

Crust

2¼ cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons Wholesome Sweeteners Fair Trade Organic Sugar

¾ cup cold organic butter, diced

6 tablespoons cold water

2 tablespoons organic milk (for top of pie)

2 tablespoons Wholesome Sweeteners Fair Trade Organic Sugar (for top of pie)

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Mix together the cherries, raisins, orange juice, and brandy, and let sit while making the crust so that flavors will blend.

Make Crust: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and 2 Tablespoons sugar. Cut in butter. Sprinkle with cold water. Gather half of mixture into a ball, then roll out on a floured cloth into a 12” circle.  Place circle of pastry into a 9 inch pie tin.  Roll out remaining dough, and cut out with a small cookie cutter. 

Make Filling:  Stir together 1 cup sugar, cornstarch, tapioca, 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and lemon zest. Pour sugar mixture over fruit and stir gently with a rubber spatula until mixture is well distributed.  Stir in walnuts.  Transfer to prepared pie pan.  Dip leaf-shaped crust cutouts into milk, and shake lightly to remove excess liquid.  Place over cherry filling in a random pattern.  Sprinkle with remaining sugar.