Ingredients
Topping:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground chipotle chile pepper
2/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces & chilled
1.5 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup milk
Filling:
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
7 cups fresh or frozen, pitted cherries (tart red, dark sweet or Rainier)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375. Grease 2 qt. baking dish.
For topping, in medium bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, chipotle and salt. Using pastry blender or two forks, cut butter into mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in chocolate. Add milk, stir until just moistened. Knead dough 3 to 4 times in bowl until it holds together. Transfer to floured surface and form dough into ball.
For filling, in large saucepan combine sugar, flour and cherries. Cook until thickened and bubbly. Transfer hot filling to dish.
On floured surface, roll dough into 3/4 thickness. Using star cookie cutter, cut out enough 2 to 3 inch stars to cover filling, rerolling dough as necessary. Arrange stars over hot filling. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake 30 minutes or until stars are baked through and filling is think and bubbly. Let stand 30 minutes before serving.