Recipes

Whitney’s Cherry-Tastic Recipes and Other Delights

Decadent Deconstructed Cherry Pie

Makes 6 generous servings

Who doesn’t love cherry pie? No one that I know of, surely. However, there are times when a slice of pie just isn’t enough to wow that epicurious foodie who really likes to push their taste buds to the limit. That’s why I came up with this little gem. It’s got all the basic elements of a great cherry pie, but with a hint of brandy in the cherries and two layers of almond cream. Yum, yum! Go on, give it a try. You know you want to.

Ingredients

For the Filling:

5 cups fresh Montmorency cherries pitted (or any variety of baking cherries will do). If using canned cherries, drain
cherries, keeping one cup in reserve.

1 cup sugar

¼ cup Kirschwasser (cherry brandy)

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon lemon zest (lemon rind)

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons corn starch

For the Phyllo Dough Crust:

10 sheets phyllo dough, thawed

½ cup butter melted

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons cinnamon

For the Sweet Almond Cream:

4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature

½ cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons almond extract

1 cup heavy whipping cream

For the Whipped Cream Topping:

1 cup whipping cream

¼ cup powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

Make the Filling

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Put fresh cherries in large bowl. Add 1 cup sugar, ¼ cup cherry brandy, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Stir and let stand for 20 minutes.

Put the cornstarch in large saucepan over medium heat. Drain the juice in the fresh cherries and add to cornstarch, stirring until blended. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until liquid becomes thick and bubbly.

Turn off heat and add cherries. Stir to blend.

Put cherries in an oven-safe dish. Dot with the three tablespoons of butter and cover loosely with tinfoil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove tinfoil, stir, and bake for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and let stand.

Meanwhile, while cherries are baking …

Make the Phyllo Dough Crust

Brush cookie sheet with melted butter.

Lay one sheet of phyllo dough on the baking sheet, keeping the rest covered with damp paper towels to keep them from drying out while you’re working with the dough.

Liberally brush phyllo layer with melted butter, then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Repeat the layers.

Bake in 375°F oven for 10–15 minutes, or until golden and crisp.

Cool completely.

Meanwhile, while the sugared phyllo crust is baking …

Make the Almond Cream

In mixer, mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and almond extract. Beat until soft and creamy. Transfer to bowl and set aside.

In mixing bowl, beat heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form. Gently add the cream cheese mixture a quarter at a time, mixing until stiff peaks form. Store in fridge.

Time to Assemble!

Carefully cut phyllo dough into 12 squares. Place one square of sugared phyllo directly on dessert plate. Place a dollop of almond cream (I like to pipe it on using a pastry bag) and carefully spread on crust. Next, add a spoonful of cherries. Repeat this layer.

Top with a dollop of freshly whipped whipping cream and serve immediately!

Some fun variations I make for my friends:

Whenever I make this for Tay I add an extra splash of brandy to the cherries. What can I say? She loves her brandy!

Another fun way to make this deconstructed pie is to make a very simple version of it, one that’s perfect for a quiet dinner or intimate gathering of friends. I made this version when Giff came over once and I was out of my fancy phyllo crust. Since I still had plenty of the cherry filling I whipped up a quick batch of Grandma Jenn’s trusty pie crust (see recipe below), rolled it out, cut it into wedges, sprinkled a little sugar on top, and baked it at 375°F for 10–15 minutes—just until the wedges were a nice golden brown. I then placed a scoop of vanilla ice cream in a dessert dish, topped it with a generous helping of the warm, brandied cherry filling, and finished it off with a decorative pie dough wedge. Although not as elegant as the original version, it’s still delicious, and Gifford McGrady couldn’t get enough of it!

Grandma Jenn’s Classic Door County Cherry Pie

Makes one 10-inch pie (can be used in a 9-inch pie as well)

No kidding—this basic, old-fashioned cherry pie is good enough to win a cherry pie bake-off without your having to sleep with the judge … unless, of course, you want to (wink, wink). It seems ridiculous, but the secret to baking a fabulous cherry pie is all about the cherries. A good, tart baking cherry is essential. You don’t need a secret pie-contest-winning cherry tree at your disposal like Grandma Jenn. All you need to do is take a trip to an orchard that grows tart cherries. They’ll have what you need. At the Bloom Family Orchard, we also pit and flash-freeze our cherries to preserve that fresh-picked flavor. Grandma Jenn does this as well, and actually prefers to use frozen cherries for this recipe. However, if fresh or frozen cherries aren’t available, bottled or canned from any grocery store will do.

Ingredients

For Grandma Jenn’s Flaky Crust:

1½ sticks chilled butter

⅓ cup chilled vegetable shortening

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

½ cup ice water

For Grandma Jenn’s Fabulous Filling:

6 cups of fresh or frozen tart cherries

1 cup sugar

4 tablespoons corn starch

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or ½ teaspoon concentrate

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon milk, to brush over top crust

1 tablespoon sugar, to sprinkle

Make the Crust

Dice the butter and the vegetable shortening and put in the refrigerator to chill.

While the butter and shortening are chilling, place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Fit the mixer with the stir attachment and add the chilled butter and shortening.

Mix until the butter and shortening are the size of peas.

Next add the vinegar to the ice water and stir. While the machine is still mixing, pour in the liquid and keep mixing until the dough begins to form a ball.

Turn the dough out on a floured cutting board and shape into a ball, being careful not to work the dough too much.

Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and chill for about thirty minutes.

When the dough is ready to handle, sprinkle cutting board with flour so dough won’t stick and cut the dough in half.

Using a rolling pin, roll half the dough into a large circle about a quarter of an inch thick, making sure the surface of the cutting board has enough flour so the dough won’t stick.

Once the dough is rolled out, fold it in half and place in the bottom of the pie plate. Roll out top crust and set it aside.

Time to Make the Filling!

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Place cherries in large saucepan over medium heat. Add the teaspoon of lemon juice, cover, and stir occasionally. After a few minutes, the cherries should start releasing juice. Keep covered and remove from heat.

In a small bowl, mix sugar and cornstarch together until combined. Pour this mixture into the warm, juicy cherries and mix well. Return the mixture to the stove and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously until the liquid loses its cloudy appearance and becomes thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in the butter.

Pour cooled cherry filling into the prepared pie crust.

Using a pastry brush, moisten the edges of the bottom crust with a little water. Place top crust on and flute the edges of the pie.

Make a slit in the middle of the top crust to vent steam.

Brush on a thin layer of milk over top crust, then sprinkle with sugar.

Place pie on baking sheet, cover the edges of the crust with tin foil, and place in the middle rack of the preheated oven.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil from edges and bake another 20 minutes until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool.

When pie has set and is ready to be served, plate a generous helping and serve with a scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream!

Edna Baker’s Bribe -Worthy Chicken Pot Pie

Serves 8 to 10

While I don’t generally condone outright bribery, it’s not a bad idea to have at least one resolve-weakening recipe in your arsenal—just in case you need it. Edna’s chicken pot pie is that recipe—a rich, savory chicken stew topped with a golden flaky crust. It’s comfort food at its best, and I’m sure if Edna found out how Grandma Jenn “accidently” snapped a picture of this recipe during a Cherry Cove Women’s Club meeting at her house, she’d be furious. So don’t tell Edna. But seriously, a recipe this good shouldn’t be squirreled away and kept under lock and key. It should be shared. So go ahead and try it yourself. Just don’t invite Edna over for dinner when you do.

Ingredients

For the Crust:

Ask yourself, do you want to make individual pot pies in oven-safe personal dishes, or do you want to make a family-style pot pie? If you want to make individual pot pies, I recommend doubling the crust recipe below.

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

⅓ cup butter cut in small cubes and chilled

⅓ cup shortening, chilled

6 to 7 tablespoons ice water

For the Filling:

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 cups chicken broth

1 heaping tablespoon of minced garlic

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 onion, finely chopped

4 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 celery ribs, cleaned and finely chopped

Table salt and pepper

10 oz. cremini mushrooms, washed,
stems trimmed and thinly sliced

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons tomato paste

4 tablespoons butter

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole milk

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves

1 cup frozen baby peas

Make the Crust

In mixing bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Add chilled butter and shortening. Cut into flour until shortening is the size of small peas. Add ice water and continue mixing until soft dough forms. Turn dough onto floured cutting board and form into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator.

Make the Filling

Preheat oven to 450°F if making individual pot pies.

Preheat oven to 375°F if making in 11x14 baking dish.

Bring chicken, broth, and minced garlic to simmer in covered Dutch oven or large stock pot over medium heat. Cook until chicken is just done, 8–12 minutes. Transfer chicken to large bowl. Pour broth through a fine mesh strainer into liquid measuring cup and set aside. Do not wash pot.

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in empty Dutch oven over medium heat. When oil is hot, add onions, celery, and carrots. Add ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Cover and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. While vegetables are cooking, shred chicken into small bite-sized pieces. Transfer cooked vegetables to bowl with chicken and set aside.

Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in empty Dutch oven over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have released their juices, about 5 minutes. Remove cover and stir in soy sauce and tomato paste. Increase heat and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to bowl with chicken and vegetables. Set aside.

Heat butter in empty Dutch oven over medium heat. When melted, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly whisk in reserved chicken broth and milk. Bring to a simmer, stirring to loosen browned bits on bottom of pan. Raise heat to medium and continue to simmer, stirring continuously until sauce fully thickens. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and parsley.

Add chicken-vegetable mixture to sauce. Add peas.

Place mixture in baking dish/dishes.

Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out crust, making a 12x16 rectangle for the baking dish, or five-inch circles for individual pots. Place dough over rim of dish and flute edges, sealing the dough to the dish. Poke a hole in crust to vent steam. Place pots/baking dish on cookie sheet.

For individual pot pies, bake in 450°F oven for 12–15 minutes. For 11x14 baking dish, bake in 375°F oven for 30 minutes, or until crust is a light golden color. Let cool ten minutes before serving.