Cherry Chocolate Pie with Pretzel Crust

Ingredients:

• 2 tubes of chilled pizza dough (400g each)
• 30 chocolate-covered pretzels
• 3 cups canned cherries + 1 1/4 cups juice from the can
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp. baking soda
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tbsp. white pearl sugar
• Special equipment: 2.5 cm round piping tip, pastry brush

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
2. Roll one portion of the dough into a 30 cm (12 in) circle. Place it in a 22 cm (9 in) pie pan, pressing it into the bottom and sides. Trim the edges with a knife if necessary. Arrange the chocolate-covered pretzels in a single layer on the bottom and sides of the pan, and set the pan aside.
3. Place the cherries in a large bowl. In a medium saucepan, whisk the cherry juice and cornstarch until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid thickens, about 1 minute. Pour the sauce over the cherries and gently toss to combine. Spread the filling on the crust.
4. Cut the remaining dough into eight 2.5 cm wide strips. Using the back of a 2.5 cm round pastry tip, cut 33 circles from the remaining dough. Dissolve baking soda in 1/4 cup water in a small bowl. Brush the strips and circles of dough with the baking soda solution.
5. Place 4 strips of dough evenly spaced across the pie in one direction. Place the remaining 4 strips of dough perpendicular to the other strips and weave them together to create a lattice pattern. Trim any excess dough at the ends. Place circles of dough around the edge of the pie to create a border.
6. Cover the pie with foil and bake until golden brown, about 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake until the crust is browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Brush the crust with butter and sprinkle with pearl sugar. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour or until tomorrow.