February 2021 – Cherries

Cherry Cranberry Relish

Mary A. King, Leola

• 2 cups fresh or frozen cherries, pitted
• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• 3 oranges with 1 teaspoon orange zest or 1 cup orange juice
• 1 lemon with zest (juice)
• honey to taste

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes.

Can also be used as ice cream topping.

 

Cherry-Lime Pudding Cups

Katie Sensenig, East Earl

• ¼ oz. package unflavored gelatin
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 cups whole milk
• ¹/₃ cup sugar or ½ cup honey
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1½ cups cherries, pitted and coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest

In a small bowl, whisk gelatin with 1/2 cup cream. Let stand 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine sugar and milk. Heat till sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Whisk in gelatin mixture, sour cream and lime juice.

Pour the mixture into six 6-ounce cups or ramekins. Cover and chill overnight, until set and firm. Garnish with cherries and lime zest before serving.

 

Sour Cherry Pie

Martha Hoover, Ephrata

• 1 quart canned sour cherries
• 2 heaping tablespoons flour
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ to 1 cup reserved juice
• unbaked pie shell
• 2 tablespoons butter

Drain cherries, reserving juice. Combine cherries, flour, sugar and juice carefully. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Dot with butter and cover with top crust. Press edges together. Cut small slits into the top.

Bake at 350°F for approximately 30 minutes.

 

Cherry Cookies

Susan Campbell, Lebanon

• 2 sticks butter
• ²/₃ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1¾ cup flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¹/₃ cup maraschino cherries (chopped)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

In a bowl, cream the butter; gradually add the sugar, beating until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the egg.

Into the bowl, sift together the flour and salt, and beat until well combined. Beat in vanilla and cherries.

Chill for at least 2 hours.

Roll dough into small balls and place on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten with the bottom of a small glass dusted in flour. Bake for 10 minutes at 400°F.

Yield: 30 to 36 cookies.

 

Cherry Cobbler

Elaine Ziolkowski, Ephrata

• 1½ cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup shortening
• 1 egg
• ¹/₃ cup milk
• 1 tablespoon tapioca
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups sweetened cherries

Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together. Cut shortening into dry ingredients.

Beat egg and add milk. Combine with the flour mixture. Stir till flour is damp.

Pour sweetened cherries into a greased square baking pan. Sprinkle with tapioca. Add lemon juice and butter. Drop batter in six mounds on top of cherries.

Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings.

 

Cherry Fritters

Pat Roth, Ephrata

“I have made hundreds of these through the years. Everyone loves them!”

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon butter, room temperature
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 4 cups flour
• 1 cup milk
• 3 cups drained sour cherries

Beat the eggs; add the sugar and beat together. Add butter, salt, baking powder and baking soda; mix lightly. Add the milk and flour alternately. Fold in the cherries.

Drop from a teaspoon or small cookie scoop into deep fat at 350°F to 365°F. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towels to drain and cool. Sprinkle with powdered or granulated sugar.

Makes about 50 small fritters. A larger scoop can be used for larger fritters.

 

Cherry Walnut Cake

Pat Roth, Ephrata

• 2¼ cups cake flour
• 3¼ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1½ cups sugar
• ½ cup shortening, room temperature
• 1 cup milk, divided
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• 4 egg whites, unbeaten
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped maraschino cherries
• ¾ cup chopped nuts
• frosting of your choice

Measure flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into sifter.

Place the shortening in a mixing bowl and stir just to soften. Sift in the dry ingredients. Add 3/4 cup of the milk and the flavorings. Mix until all the flour is dampened. Beat with electric mixer for 2 minutes at low speed. Add the egg whites and the rest of the milk and beat for 1 more minute. Fold in the nuts and the cherries.

Pour the batter into two 9” greased and floured cake pans. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Ice with any white butter icing.

 

2 Crust Cherry Pie

Pat Roth, Ephrata

• 1½ cups sugar, divided
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 cups canned pitted tart red cherries (water packed)
• ¾ cup juice from cherries
• 1 tablespoon butter
• prepared pie crust (refrigerated store-bought or see recipe below)

Combine 3/4 cup of the sugar with the cornstarch. Stir in the cherry juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture thickens and bubbles, then cook 1 minute longer.

Add the rest of the sugar, cherries and the butter. (This mixture will be very thick.) Pour into a 9” pastry-lined pie plate. Add the top crust and cut slits in the top to let the steam escape. Bake for 55 minutes at 400°F.

 

Pie Crust:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon sale
• ²/₃ cup shortening
• 5 to 7 tablespoons cold water

Mix salt and flour together. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender till the size of small peas. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until all the flour is moistened. Divide in half and roll for top and bottom crusts.

 

Tart Cherry Pie

Tera McFarland, Reinholds

• 4 cups fresh, canned or frozen tart cherries (or more for a loaded pie)
• 1 to 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• ¹/₈ tablespoon almond extract (optional)
• red food coloring (optional)
• 1½ tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, to sprinkle
• prepared pie crust (see recipe blow)

Place cherries in a medium saucepan and place over heat; cover. After cherries lose considerable juice (canned will be packed in juice), which may take a few minutes, remove from heat. In a small bowl, mix the sugar and cornstarch together. Pour this mixture into the hot cherries and mix well. Add the almond extract, if desired; add red food color, if desired; mix.

Return the mixture to the stove and cook over low heat until thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and let cool. If the filling is too thick, add a little water; if too thin, add a little more cornstarch.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Place bottom crust in the bottom of the pie pan and pat down. Leave extra dough around the edges to join with the top crust. Pour cooled cherry mixture into the crust. Dot with butter. Cover with top crust or create lattice top and flute edges. If making a two-crust pie, cut slit in the middle for steam to escape. Sprinkle with sugar. Place pie on a cookie sheet in case of spillover.

Bake for about 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool.

 

My Mom’s Pie Crust:

• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup Crisco or butter
• pinch salt
• cold water

Mix and knead until pliable. Divide dough and roll out into two ovals.

 

Tiny Cherry Cheesecakes

Gloria Dougherty, Akron

• 1 cup flour
• ¹/₃ cup sugar
• ¼ cup cocoa
• ½ cup cold butter
• 8 to 12 tablespoons cold water

Filling:

• (2) 3 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 21 oz. can cherry pie filling (or filling of choice)

In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar and cocoa; cut in butter till crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until the dough forms a ball. Shape into 24 balls. Place in greased miniature muffin pans; press dough onto bottom and up sides of each cup.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in milk and vanilla. Add egg and beat on low speed just till combined.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon into each cup.

Bake at 325°F for 15 to 18 minutes or until set. Cool for 30 minutes. Carefully remove from pans and cool completely. Top with pie filling.

Yield: 2 dozen.