Cherry Grunt
Serves 4 to 6
Cooking Time 3 to 4 hours on Low
Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: A grunt is an old-fashioned summer fruit dessert topped with sweet, tender dumplings.
The fruit is traditionally simmered in a pot, and the dumplings are dropped on top
and steamed until fluffy and light. Starting with frozen cherries makes this rustic
dessert an option even in the dead of winter, and it cuts down on prep time. For a
filling that was thick and jammy, we microwaved the cherries with the flour (and sugar
and other flavorings) so the released juice would be absorbed by the flour, then moved
the mixture to the slow cooker. Positioning the dumplings around the perimeter of
the slow cooker—where it’s hottest—guaranteed that they were completely cooked through
by the time the filling was done. A sprinkle of cinnamon sugar added flavor and a
slight crunch to our dumplings. You will need an oval slow cooker for this recipe.
Be sure to mix the cherries well after microwaving to redistribute their juice. Serve
with ice cream. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.
|
2¼ |
pounds frozen sweet cherries |
|
2 |
cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour |
|
1 |
cup (7 ounces) plus 3 tablespoons sugar |
|
1 |
tablespoon lemon juice |
|
1¼ |
teaspoons ground cinnamon |
|
1 |
teaspoon almond extract |
|
1 |
tablespoon baking powder |
|
½ |
teaspoon salt |
|
½ |
cup plus 2 tablespoons milk |
|
4 |
tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled |
1. Combine cherries, ¼ cup flour, 1 cup sugar, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and almond extract in bowl. Microwave until cherries begin to release their liquid, about 5 minutes, stirring halfway through microwaving. Stir cherry mixture well, transfer to slow cooker, and spread into even layer.
2. In large bowl, combine remaining 1¾ cups flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in milk and melted butter until just combined; do not overmix. In small bowl, combine remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon.
3. Using greased ¼-cup measure, drop 8 dumplings around perimeter of slow cooker on top of cherries, leaving center empty. Sprinkle dumplings with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Cover and cook until toothpick inserted in center of dumplings comes out clean, 3 to 4 hours on low. Serve.