Washington is experiencing a bumper crop of 2009 cherries. Our backyard tree joined the party and this is just one day’s bounty that I picked last week. The crows, deer and Rocky, our resident racoon, generally get to every last one the minute they ripen. This year there’s enough for all of us.
This cool little cherry pitting machine came from the Martha Stewart catalog many years ago. I only use it a couple times a year but absolutely LOVE it.
Now I need your help. I made a cherry pie with these cherries but did not like the recipe one bit (waaayyyy tooooo sweet). Any recommendations for a good cherry pie recipe?
Well, this link doesn’t have a specific recipe, but if you want less sugary – the adjustment is listed right on the bottle of agave nectar. I love that there is no sugar, but it is still a natural sweet flavor. And chocolate in the mix??? Yes, please. This is on my to-do list for this summer. I may need to plant a cherry tree.
http://www.locallemons.com/local_lemons/agave-nectar/
No – BUT saw this crumb cake recipe on a blog and it looks fantastic!
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/sour-cherry-crumb-cakes
MMM…
What kind of cherries do you have? Really, sour cherries are best for pies but they aren’t that great for eating out of hand.
I use the one from the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook (using Montmorency cherries.) I usually cut the sugar some from that recipe too. And the almond extract doesn’t make THAT much of a difference.
My grandmother gave me a really great recipe for sour cherry pie. Are these sour cherries? If so, my recipe is here: http://singyourheart.blogspot.com/2008/06/up-in-tree.html. Enjoy them– we had exactly the opposite experience this year. A pack of raccoons got to them before we could.
Ah, summer in Washington. Happy memories…
Oh, I don’t have a recipe for cherry pie but am I ever jealous of your cherry tree. I LOVE cherries. This time of year they are in season but ridiculously expensive… yet still a luxury I simply cannot pass up!
My Mom (and now I) always used the recipe on the minute tapioca box. It is on the Kraft website: 4 C sour cherries, pitted; 1 1/2 cups sugar; 3 Tbsp minute tapioca, 1/4 tsp almond extract Mix and let stand 15-30 minutes. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Dot top with 1 Tbs butter that is in bits. Top with a top crust. I like to brush ith milk and sprinkle with a little sugar (milk helps the crust to brown.) Bake at 400 for 45 to 50 minutes. You will probably want to place a baking sheet on the rack below the pie.
Hi Kathy, I am loving those cherry pics!! I haven’t ever made a pie with fresh sour cherries, but often buy the oregon brand of canned sour cherries. The recipe on the label calls for 1/2 C. sugar and I reduce it to 1/4 C. and it tastes great. (I don’t think you need that much sugar especially if you’re eating the pie with ice cream anyway, which according to my husband is the only way to eat pie
Ummmm… mouthwatering cherries! thanks for sharing the photos. I got the patterns I ordered in your shop last week and very eager to start making the bags. Your blog is very inspiring and colorful, a prefect place for beginners like me.
Something a little different from a pie – Smitten Kitchen’s Cherry Cornmeal Upside Down Cake is yummy: http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/05/cherry-cornmeal-upside-down-cake/
I notice she also has a cherry bar cookie recipe on her current page.
I always use the Betty Crocker recipe when I make cherry pie using Wisconsin cherries. It is so dependent on the taste of the cherry though. good luck.
Awe Rainier Cherries…how I love thee. And how expensive and bruised you are when you finally get to MN!
I’m a bit too jealous of the cherry tree to share any recipes.
use less sugar if your fruit is sweet… (That is the note from my grandma on her recipe.)
Oh, those cherries look amazing!! I have never made a cherry pie, strange that, but I do so enjoy eating fresh cherries. Hope your week has been most enjoyable and that the 4th of July celebrations are grand (we celebrated Canada Day yesterday).
Those look like sweet cherries to me and most cherry pie recipes are for sour cherries. I would skip the pie and make a pavlova with minimally sweetened whipped cream and top with pitted cherries.
If you feel like making jam with your some of your stash, I’ve had great success with a 1/2 sweet cherry, 1/2 plum jam in the past.
Try SmittenKitten’s blog. Her strawberry-rhubarb crumble is to die for and it’s for desert tonight, or pioneerwoman. My cherries are gone before they have a chance to hit the crust! I have a tall 2-legged critter in my house. I don’t know if the Rainer’s are good for pie, we usually use the bings. Have great, safe 4th!
http://smittenkitchen.com/
Sorry–Smitten Kitten is not the site! Don’t go there.
This is my mothers recipe for a wonderful Kirschkuchen, matching to your german cherry pitter, hope you find a translation for the kg and the Celsius??
200g Butter, 200g sugar, 4-5 eggyolks: stirr.
Add: 1 pinch salt, 250g flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2 tablespoon milk, 4-5 beaten eggwhites.
Add cherries, about 500g or more. Bake at 200°C for 45 min. (depending on how high your baking form is).
Dust with powder sugar. Enjoy!!
Best, Katharina from Germany
_Joy of Cooking_ ; if I could only have one cookbook, this, would be it!
Adjust sugar to the sweetness of the fruit in all fruit pie receipes. Cherrie sweet? Less sugar..
Oh, how I’d love to live where fresh cherries grow! I don’t have a recipe, but I do have fond memories of my mom baking cherry pie for Washington’s birthday, and telling the sweet story of his famous episode with the cherry tree. I never tasted a fresh cherry until I was an adult. Wonderful!!!
Kathy, I’m not a cherry expert, but I surely love the photo of the cherries in the colander.
I included a double crust cherry tart recipe with my tie-one-on submission here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/angrychicken/3676664413/
The cornmeal shortbread crust is just wonderful and it’s not too sweet but very delicious! Came from the June 2005 Sunset I think.
this is so cool, seeing a leifheit “kirschenentsteiner” on your blog!
that’s what i used to work with back home in switzerland 30 years ago…. thank you for keeping my memories alife.
So sweet of everyone to share their recipes and all…. I’m looking for a recipe to “can” pie cherries! We are going to pick today!
Any idea’s let me know please.
DJCogdill@msn.com
I didn’t use mine to make a pie, but I did make great brown butter cherry bars.
http://clearpink.blogspot.com/2009/07/cherries.html
I have no help for the sour cherry situation. Do you however have the Flower Sugar cloth on order from Lecien? I want some of that
fabric when available. Thanks and good luck with the cherries.
If they are Rainier variety, just eat them….who needs pie!