In a food processor combine flour, lard, butter, and salt until it resembles corn meal. Add 5-6 Tablespoons of ice water. [Flour will be dryer in winter and moister in summer. Adjust ice water accordingly]. Mix on low until just combined. Divide into two equal discs, cover with saran wrap and chill for at least 15 minutes.
Mix together cherries, tapioca, white granulated Pioneer Sugar, and almond extract.
Preheat oven to 400° F and place one rack on the lower third level.
Roll out one disc of pastry on a floured surface to 11-inches. Gently place in a 9-inch pie pan; set aside.
Roll out the second piece of pastry to the same size. Brush the pastry in the pie pan with the beaten egg. Pour in the filling. Cover with second piece of pastry. Turn over edges and crimp. Brush top with remaining beaten egg and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of Pioneer® Sugar to make a great glaze. With a sharp knife score the top crust as you would slice it into pie pieces. Bake for 45 minutes. You should hear the pie bubble when you take it out of the oven. Enjoy!
Pioneer Sugar is the brand of Michigan Sugar Company, a cooperative owned by nearly 900 farmers from Michigan and Ontario, Canada. The company has been extracting pure, all-natural sugar from sugarbeets since 1906. We are proud of our past and excited about our future. Learn more about our company at www.michigansugar.com.