The "Tom's Morningside" Flash-Blistered Cherry Spoon Pie
Milkshakes, Pies & Sweet Endings
A proper spoon pie isn't a tidy bakery slice. If you've ever nursed a bottomless coffee at 2:00 AM under a buzzing neon sign at Tom's Morningside, you know the best ones are born when the pastry station meets the short-order flat-top. We're flash-blistering cherries in a smoking-hot cast-iron skillet to replicate that griddle sear, getting that crucial scrape of caramelized sugar before pouring a tangy buttermilk batter over top until the crust blisters—drop the pan in the middle of the table, pass out the spoons, and dig in before the fruit stops bubbling.
Before you start
Pit the cherries.
If using fresh cherries, remove the pits before blistering. If using frozen cherries, leave them frozen; do not thaw them first.
Ingredients
- unsalted butter1 tbsp
- sweet cherries or frozen cherries4 cup
- granulated sugar3 tbsp
- fresh lemon juice1 tsp
- pure almond extract1/2 tsp
- kosher salt1 pinch
- unsalted butter1/2 cup
- self-rising flour1 cup
- granulated sugar1 cup
- whole milk1 cup
- vanilla extract1 tsp
Method
- 01
Flash-blister the cherries in a screaming-hot skillet.
Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Let the iron get incredibly hot, drop in 1 tablespoon of butter so it instantly foams, and add the cherries in an even layer. Let them sit without stirring for 60 to 90 seconds so the bottoms begin to blister and char slightly in the hot fat.
- 02
Execute the scrape.
Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of sugar over the cherries. Take a sturdy metal spatula and push firmly across the bottom of the cast iron, lifting the caramelized sugars just like a short-order cook scraping a flat-top. Cook for 1 more minute until thick and bubbling. Turn off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, almond extract, and salt. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and wipe the skillet clean.
- 03
Preheat the oven and melt the butter.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the wiped-out skillet over very low heat, add the 1/2 cup of butter, and let it melt completely before removing from the heat.
- 04
Whisk the cuppa-cuppa batter.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the self-rising flour, 1 cup of sugar, whole milk, and vanilla extract just until the lumps disappear. It will look remarkably thin and watery—this is exactly right.
- 05
Pour the batter without stirring.
Carefully pour the thin batter directly into the center of the skillet over the hot, melted butter. Crucially, do not stir the batter and the butter together.
- 06
Drop the fruit into the center.
Gently spoon the blistered cherries and any accumulated juices directly into the center of the batter. Again, absolutely no stirring. The magic of this dish relies on thermal dynamics to let the dough envelop the fruit as it bakes.
- 07
Bake until golden and violently bubbling.
Transfer the skillet to the center rack of your oven. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until you have a deep, golden-brown crust and the cherry juices are bubbling up around the edges.
- 08
Rest before serving.
Remove the skillet and let it sit for at least 15 minutes. A spoon pie is molten out of the oven; resting allows the syrupy juices to thicken. Serve warm directly from the skillet.
Notes
The pantry hack for self-rising flour.
If you do not keep self-rising flour on hand, you can make the required amount by whisking together 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of fine salt.
Moisture management is everything.
Just like pressing out grated potatoes for perfect hash browns, blistering the cherries prevents a soupy pie. The intense heat evaporates excess water and concentrates the pectin so it bakes into a jammy consistency rather than a runny mess.
From Cook Diner Food at Home.