|
Ingredients for CHERRY PIE FILLING
|
||
|
Yield: 1 litre (4 cups) |
Yield: 7 litres (28 cups |
|
|
Cherries, Fresh or Thawed (pitted) |
450g |
3kg |
|
Water, Cold |
1 1/3 cups |
9 1/3 cups |
|
White Sugar (optional) |
1 cup |
7 cups |
|
Cook-Type ClearJel (or Thermflo)* |
1/4 cup |
1 3/4 cups |
|
Bottled Lemon Juice |
25ml |
175ml |
|
*if unavailable, leave out and add 1/4 cup cornflour when opening each litre-sized jar. Do not add cornflour for preserving process. |
||
METHOD:
1. Cover jars with water and bring to a boil,
boiling for 10 minutes. Once the time is up, turn the heat off and leave jars
in the hot water until ready to fill.
2. Wash fresh cherries, drain and pit. If using
thawed berries, retain juice and use as part of the water in the filling. Keep
cherries whole or slice in half. Blanch fresh cherries for 1 minute in water,
then strain. Keep blanched cherries hot.
3. Place lids into a bowl of boiled water.
Remove the lids from the water when you are ready to place them onto the jars
to seal.
4. Whisk sugar, Thermflo and the water together.
Heat until thick. Remove from heat. Add the bottled lemon juice and whisk until
shiny and smooth in appearance. Stir warm cherries into the pie filling, adding
extra lemon juice if too thick, and bottle immediately.
5. Immediately ladle the hot fruit pie filling
into hot jars, leaving 1 inch (2.5cm) headspace. Remove bubbles, check
headspace is correct, and then wipe rims with damp paper towel then seal.
6. Process in a boiling water bath canner as per
chart below, adjusting for altitude if required. Start timer once water returns
to a full boil. When time is up, turn heat off and rest jars in water for 5
minutes before placing onto a towel-covered bench overnight to cool.
7. The next day: check jars have sealed before
labelling and storing in a cool, dry and dark place for up to 12 months. Jar
lids should not flex up or down when pressed. Please note fruit pie fillings
will have tiny bubbles present after processing. Refrigerate opened jars of pie
filling and consume within 5-7 days (or freeze leftovers from opened jars in
freezer safe containers).
TIP:
leftover pie filling? Make jaffle pies and pop into the freezer.
|
Processing
Time for CHERRY PIE FILLING in a Boiling Water Canner
|
|||||
|
Jar
Size
|
Altitude
≤ 1,000 feet
|
Altitude
1,001 - 3,000 feet
|
Altitude
3,001 - 6,000 feet
|
Altitude
≥ 6,000 feet
|
|
|
Hot Pack |
≤ 1 Litre
(quarts)
|
30 minutes |
35 minutes |
40 minutes |
45 minutes |
FLAVOUR
IDEAS:
Add one (or more) of these ingredients to your cherry pie filling (per litre
yield, multiply for larger batches):
o Add 1/8 teaspoon ground spice: i.e. cinnamon;
o Add
1 tablespoon shredded or desiccated coconut;
o Add
extra lemon juice;
o Add
lemon or orange zest;
o Add
1/4 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract;
o Add
1-2 tablespoons liqueur i.e. apricot, brandy or merlot;
o Add
a vanilla bean;
o Add
6 drops natural red food colouring.
SERVING
IDEAS: Making
fruit pies using your canned fruit pie fillings:
o
1 x Quart (950ml) of Fruit Pie Filling = 1 x family pie (8-9 inches);
o
1 x Pint (450ml) Fruit Pie Filling = 8 x mini pies;
o
1 x Half-Pint (237ml) Fruit Pie Filling = 4 x mini pies;
o Family Fruit Pie: prepare a double
batch of sweet shortcrust pastry. Use one batch of the pastry for the
base, pour in a quart jar of fruit pie filling, add the second batch of
pastry for the top (or cut into strips and create lattice). Or bake without the
top and let your fruit pie filling show beautifully! Bake until golden.
Serve hot or cold.
o Mini Fruit Pies: use homemade
pastry, or store-bought puff pastry. Cut into rounds, place 1/4 cup fruit pie
filling into each base, add top and bake until golden. Made in minutes
using an electric pie maker and you can freeze any extra pies made. Use mini
cookie cutters to create patterns on the tops for different fruit pies.
Best served hot.
o Store fruit pies in the refrigerator, or freeze.
Other
serving ideas:
o Stir into yoghurt and serve with granola;
o
Use as a topping for cheesecake;
o
Use in your favourite cobbler recipe;
o
Spread between two sponge cake layers;
o
Pour into a cake pan, add cake batter and bake. Serve upside down.
o
Partner with pudding;
o
Make a dump cake: pour pie filling into a baking dish, sprinkle with cake mix
and bake!
o
Fill pastries;
o
Warm and serve alongside pancakes;
o
Serve with ice-cream;
o
Serve with custard;
o
Add to a trifle;
o
Add to your favourite muffin mix;
o
Spread onto tortillas, roll up and bake until golden. Serve with ice-cream.
o
Breakfast with porridge;
o
Make struedels;
o
Or use in a chocolate cake!
NOTES:
o Bottled lemon juice must be used in this recipe (not fresh lemon
juice, as the acidity may vary);
o Sweet
or sour cherries can be used in this recipe;
o Fresh
cherries: choose fresh, firm, fully ripe fruit;
o Unsweetened
or sweetened frozen cherries can be used in this recipe;
o Sugar can be reduced or left out of this recipe, if you prefer;
o For
pancake topping: use half the thickener (1/8 cup per litre yield);
o More
information about fruit pie filling thickeners: http://www.foodpreserving.org/2013/07/clearjel-canned-fruit-pie-fillings.html
Image credit: Megan Radaich
Publication: www.foodpreserving.org