dessert

KNR, p. 323 “Cherry Pie with Almond Crumble Topping”

Cherries are in the grocery stores, in the frozen section as well as in the fresh produce aisles! It may be tradition to eat cherry pie around Washington’s birthday (because of the cherry tree legend) but we make it throughout cherry season (translation=whenever cherries are in stock at the store). Here’s a tried and true recipe, sure to please.

Cherry Pie with Almond Crumble Topping

Sheila Kerrian
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Cooling Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 55 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Equipment

  • extra large bowl
  • 12" non-stick fry pan with lid
  • large, slotted spoon

Ingredients
  

Almond Crumble Topping

  • 1/3 cup sliced almonds, smashed/rough chopped
  • 1/2 cup all purpose unbleached flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons softened butter

Cherry Pie Filling

  • 6 cups frozen, pitted dark sweet cherries
  • 2 Tablespoons unbleached flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened black cherry juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure almond extract

Instructions
 

Pie Crust

  • Pre-heat oven to 375. Pre-bake favorite single, deep-dish, 9" pie crust on middle oven rack, 10-12 minutes (until light golden brown).
  • Remove from oven and place on cooling rack.

Almond Crumble Topping

  • Place almonds in plastic bag, seal it, and smash the bag with the back of a spoon until the almonds are in small bits.
  • Using a fork, combine all dry topping ingredients in medium sized bowl.
  • Add softened butter and combine, using the fork to mix and create pea-sized crumbles. Refrigerate until needed.

Filling

  • Place frozen cherries in an extra large bowl and toss with the flour and sea salt.
  • Using non-stick 12” fry pan, stir together cherry juice, cinnamon, brown sugar, and almond extract until heated through – about 5 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the cherries to the fry pan, toss together until cherries completely coated with liquid, then cover and heat on medium low until heated through, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Remove 1 cup of cooked cherries from the pan, smash into rough chunks, then return to pan and toss together until completely mixed. Heat for additional 5 minutes.

Assembly

  • Using a slotted spoon, spoon entire batch of cooked cherries into the pre-baked pie crust. There will be about 1/4 to 1/2 cup thickened cherry liquid left in pan. Set aside in covered glass container and use as a sauce.
  • Spread the almond crumble on top of the cherries until completely covered to the edges. Place on middle rack of oven at 375 and bake about 30 minutes, protecting the pie crust from burning with crust covers if needed. Pie is done when crumble topping is golden brown and filling begins to bubble.
  • Place on cooling rack for 20 minutes, then place in refrigerator until firm, about 2.5 hours.
  • Serve with ice cream or the cherry sauce and enjoy.   
Keyword Pie

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KNR, p. 317 “Blackberry Cobbler”

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Everybody in Sheila’s family raved about her grandmother’s cobbler recipe. Grandma never gave up the secret, but did admit it was sooooo easy to make. However, easy to bake doesn’t mean easy to recreate. Sheila tried to duplicate the taste for many years, serving variations to anyone willing to take a chance on yet another attempt. Dessert lovers all, Sheila rarely heard a ‘no,’ whether similar in taste or not. 

BUT, this past week, an historical light clicked on in her brain and she worked on the premise of using ingredients that grandma had available to her at the time. This includes fresh blackberries from her own blackberry patch, and whole milk, because Grandma had cows. Sheila remembered seeing condensed milk in Grandma’s kitchen and asked why. Grandma just smiled and changed the subject, but its use makes a huge difference in flavor.

Sheila’s brother was visiting, tried it with creamy ice cream, whooped between bites, and declared, “She nailed it!”

For your consideration, really easy Blackberry Cobbler:

Blackberry Cobbler

Sheila Kerrian & Grandma
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 & 1/4 cups self-rising flour
  • 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 cup 1/2 cup milk
  • 6 Tablespoons melted butter
  • 6-8 ounces fresh blackberries, 1/2 cup reserved for garnish
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat oven to 325 and grease 13” x 9” baking dish.
  • Place flour, condensed milk, plain milk, and melted butter into large bowl. Mix with large spoon or whisk until blended. Pour into the greased baking dish.
  • Slice blackberries in half, lengthwise. Spread blackberries evenly across top of batter, flat side down, saving a few for garnish.
  • Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly on top of the blackberries.
  • Bake in oven for 35-40 minutes until light golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
  • Let cool on rack for 10 minutes.
  • Serve with ice cream or whipped cream and a few blackberries. (Whipped cream with vanilla flavoring is shown in the top photo)

Notes

 
 
The cobbler can also be baked in a liberally buttered, oven-proof stoneware pie dish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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KNR, p. 67 “I like pie!”

 

I love a great dessert. Cake, cookies, pudding, ice cream – they’re all tasty, but for me, the best dessert is pie. Cream pies, chocolate pies, fruit pies, potato pies? Bring ‘em on. I’ll eat ‘em all. Except coconut. Never could get used to the texture.

 

Sheila’s grandmother made a great white sweet potato pie, but would not share her secret! She moved away and I can’t get my yearly fix, so just before Christmas, we baked until we got the taste just right. Sheila baked – I ate. I could eat a whole pie by myself, no problem. I found the white sweet potatoes at the farmer’s market, so Sheila could practice, practice. They have a milder, sweeter flavor than the orange ones and they’re also good baked.

 

5.0 from 1 reviews
Print
White Sweet Potato Pie
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6
 
Ingredients
  • 3-4 large white sweet potatoes (yields 2 cups mashed white sweet potatoes)
  • ¾ cup white cane sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
  • 2 jumbo eggs
  • 5 oz. evaporated milk
  • 5 oz. half & half
  • 1 unbaked deep dish pie shell
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425.
  2. Peel, then cut, 3-4 large white sweet potatoes into two inch chunks, and boil until sharp cooking fork can slide easily into the chunks (about 20 minutes, but don’t let them get squishy)
  3. Drain the potatoes thoroughly.
  4. Beat with electric mixer until consistency of stiff mashed potatoes.
  5. In large bowl, mix together 2 cups mashed potatoes and both sugars.
  6. One at a time, add sea salt, cinnamon, vanilla, eggs, evaporated milk and half & half.
  7. Mix until just blended.
  8. Pour into pie shell.
  9. Place on cookie sheet in center of oven.
  10. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes.
  11. Drop oven temperature to 350 and bake an additional 35 minutes or until center is set and knife inserted in middle comes out clean.
  12. Cool on pie rack for 1 hour.
  13. Serve with ice cream.
  14. Try to stop at one slice. 😉

 

Sheila’s family is from the South and she told me that white sweet potatoes are easily grown in home gardens down there.

 

Enjoy!

 

*Photo by Patti Phillips

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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