Tim Dineen

Tim won 2nd Place with this pie at the 2000 San Leandro Cherry Festival!  It was the first (and only) time he has ever entered a pie baking contest!

Crust:

• 1 cup finely ground graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup finely ground walnuts
• 4 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 tbsp sugar

Filling 1:

• 8oz cream cheese
• 1tsp cherry flavoring
• 1/4 cup sugar

Filling 2:

• 4 cups pitted fresh cherries
• 1 cup sugr
• 3 tbsp instant tapioca
• 1 tbsp amaretto

Topping:

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate, melted with
• 1 tbsp neutral-flavored oil

Preheat oven to 350°.  Spray 10" pie plate with food release.  Set aside.

Mix crumbs, walnuts and sugar in food processor.  Add melted butter.  Press mixture into pie plate.  bake on preheated oven about 12 minutes.  Cool.

Place cherries, sugar, tapioca, and amaretto in heavy saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Bring to full, rapid boil, remove from heat, cool completely, and chill.

Mix cream cheese, sugar and flavoring in mixer and whip until light and fluffy. 

Carefully spread cream cheese mixture over crust. Spoon cherry mixture over cream cheese. Whip cream with sugar and vanilla and spoon over cherries.

Drizzle with melted chocolate.  Chill until ready to serve.