I came across this recipe on the interwebs, and knew I’d have to make it – cherries are one of my very favorite treats, and a cherry pastry that looked to be as simple to toss together as this did just sealed the deal.
And it is good.
Just… kinda… sweet.
Thank da Google I didn’t use the called-for cherry pie filling, or I wouldn’t have a tooth left in my head.
I do not know what the problem is with me and cherries. I can use ’em in a barbecue sauce, on chicken over waffles, turn ’em into a pretty decent jam, even, but dessert?
My cobbler was too sweet, too, tho’ the pie wasn’t too, too bad… but that was mebbe the bourbon. Next time, I will just use that pie filling recipe to see if I can balance it all out.
INGREDIENTS
Pastry:
•1 cup butter, softened
•2 cups sugar
•4 eggs
•3 cups flour
•1/2 tsp almond extract
•1 tsp vanilla
•2 jars Morello cherries, drained and pitted*
Glaze:
•3 tbsp milk
•1 tbsp butter, melted
•1 tbsp soft cream cheese
•5 heaping tbsp powdered sugar
*Available at Trader Joe’s. If you want to try the bourbon pie filling, here’s the recipe:
•6 cups cherries, pitted (3 – 24.7oz.) jars pitted sour cherries in syrup, well drained
•3/4 cup sugar
•1/4 cup bourbon
•3 tbsp cornstarch
•2 tbsp orange juice
•1 tbsp orange zest
Check the cherries for pits, then stir together with the remaining ingredients.
Back to the pastry.
Heat the oven to 375º and line a 13×9 baking pan with parchment paper. The recipe didn’t specify, so I left extra paper overhanging the edge, tho’ next time I plan on just trimming it to fit the bottom of the pan.
Cream the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, then add the eggs, one at a time.
Beat in the almond and vanilla extracts, then reduce speed and add the flour gradually, mixing until well blended.
Spread about 3/4 of the batter over the bottom of the pan, then top with the cherries (or cherry pie filling).
Drop the remaining batter by spoonfuls over the cherries, then pop into the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
Remove and let cool completely.
Whisk the glaze ingredients together until well blended, then drizzle over the cooled cherry bars before slicing.
This batch used up all my Morello cherries, so I guess a trip to TJ’s is due…
and mebbe Fireball cinnamon whisky in place of the bourbon…
Gotta go!