Cherry Pastry Bars

Photo courtesy of The Country Cook 

This is a recipe I got from a coworker MANY years ago. I don't have a lot of notes written on the recipe, and I don't exactly remember the last time I made these, but I did write on there that it was very good. It resembles many of the recipes you can find online for cherry pastry/pie bars. You use canned pie filling, and can use any flavor of pie filling that you desire. 

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Cream together:

1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar

Add:

4 eggs, one at a time
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Plus:

1 or 2 (20 -oz) can(s) cherry pie filling

Glaze (Combine all the ingredients until smooth.)

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract (may also try 1/2 tsp each of vanilla and almond extracts) 

1 -2 tbsp milk

Directions:

Spread half of the batter in a greased 9 x 13" pan. Spread 1 can cherry pie filling evenly over the batter. Drop the remaining batter over the pie filling by spoonfuls, then gently spread. You can also just rop dollops of the batter on top, leaving some of the pie filling exposed. Bake 350 degrees for 35 - 45 minutes. Cool slightly, then drizzle the glaze over the warm bars. Cool completely. Store tightly covered. 

Apple Pie sweet Bread

This is another recipe that I used to make frequently when I was in my 20s and also when my kids were little. It is so good! You can use Rhodes frozen bread dough, either the white bread or the sweet bread dough.

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Bread
1-2 loaves Rhodes frozen white bread dough, or sweet dough, thawed for 1 1/2 to 2 hours
1-2 cans apple pie filling (Sweeten with granulated sugar, if desired)
butter
granulated sugar

Frosting
powdered sugar
butter, softened
milk
vanilla extract



1. Roll out one of the loaves and place on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Top with the cherry pie filling

2. At this point, you may either roll up jelly-roll fashion, or top with another rolled out loaf of bread.

3. Butter top of bread dough and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

4. Bake 350 degrees until dough has baked through.

5. Make a very thick frosting with some powdered sugar, softened butter, and a little milk. Add the vanilla extract and mix in. Spread over the top of the bread while bread is still warm. Decorate with maraschino cherries. Let cool for one hour before cutting.

Cherry Almond Bread

This recipe comes from The Recipe Critic.

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1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 (8 oz) jar maraschino cherries, chopped and juice reserved
powdered sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour (or line with parchment paper) two 8x4" loaf pans; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream the sugar and oil; add the eggs, vanilla and almond extracts and beat well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Measure out 1/2 cup of the reserved maraschino cherry juice. If juice does not equal 1/2 cup, add enough water so that it equals 1/2 cup. Alternately add the flour mixture and cherry juice to the sugar mixture just until it is combined. Stir in the chopped cherries.

Divide the batter equally between both loaf pans. Bake 325 degrees for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove from the pans and cool on a wire rack. Dust tops of bread with powdered sugar, of desired. Serve. 

Double Chocolate-Cherry Torte

Photo courtesy of BettyCrocker.com

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Still too hot to bake, but I thought I'd post this anyhow. I have been wanting to make this recipe for months! It looks so good! The recipe comes from BettyCrocker.com . One of these days, I will actually make it and when I do, I will post the photos.

2 pkgs (8-oz each) semisweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup butter
6 eggs
1  1/2 cups white chocolate chunks (from a 12-oz bag) (You can use 1  1/2 cups coarsely chopped white chocolate baking bars instead of the chunks)

1  1/2 cups whipping cream, divided
4 oz cream cheese (from 8-oz pkg), softened
1 (21-oz) can cherry pie filling, divided
1/4 tsp almond extract

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray the bottom of a 9" springform pan with cooking spray. In a 3-quart saucepan, melt the semisweet chocolate and butter over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Cool 30 minutes.

2. In a medium bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer on high speed about 5 minutes or until about triple in volume. Fold into chocolate mixture. Pour into the springform pan. Bake 400 degrees, 15 - 20 minutes or until edge is set but center is still soft and jiggles slightly when moved. Cool completely in pan, about 1  1/2 hours. then cover and refrigerate 1  1/2 hours.

3. In medium microwavable bowl, mix the white chocolate and 2 tbsp of the whipping cream. Microwave uncovered on High for 20 - 40 seconds, stirring once, until chocolate is melted. Stir until well blended. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add white chocolate mixture, beating until smooth. Add 1 cup of the pie filling; beat until well blended and cherries are broken up.

4. In another chilled, medium bowl, beat remaining whipping cream and almond extract on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold in cherry-chocolate mixture until well blended. Spread over dark chocolate layer. Refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 48 hours.

5. Remove sides from springform pan and serve torte topped with the remaining cherry pie filling.

Fruit Crumble

This recipe comes from my sister. It only requires a few ingredients and is so good!

Printable Recipe

1 (20-oz) can pie filling, any flavor
1 (9-oz) box Jiffy cake mix, yellow or white
1/3 cup butter, melted

1 tbsp sugar

Pour pie filling into a buttered 9" cake pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over the pie filling. Drizzle melted butter over the cake mix. Sprinkle sugar over the butter. Bake 350 degrees, for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Cherry Bread

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In going through my recipe files, I found this recipe that I got from a lady I worked with over 40 years ago. It's easy to make, and is real good. I don't measure the glaze ingredients, but just throw them together. This is a repost from 2009, to bring it back up to the top of the blog. 

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1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed

1 can Cherry pie filling 
1-2 tbsp granulated sugar stirred into the pie filling (otherwise it is a little on the tart side

butter, softened

additional granulated sugar

Glaze
butter
pwd sugar
milk
dash vanilla or cherry juice if adding maraschino cherries to the top

Topping

maraschino cherries, drained

Directions

1. Thaw the bread dough and roll out into a rectangle on a sheet of parchment paper, making sure not to roll too thin. I have found that once the bread is thawed out, it is still difficult to roll out. To help this problem, I place it in the microwave on the parchment paper on the defrost setting, for about a minute.

2. Place the (rolled out) bread dough on top of the parchment paper onto a rimmed cookie sheet. Spread the pie filling down the center of the bread dough. 

3. Cut strips down the sides of the rectangle at an angle and cross them over the pie filling, sort of like you would a braid. 

4. Butter the top of the dough and sprinkle with a little sugar. 

5. Set cookie sheet in a warm place and allow dough to rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. 

6. Bake at 350° for about 30 - 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool slightly. 

7. Make a thick glaze, and drizzle over warm cherry bread. Cut into strips or squares once cooled,  and store in a covered container in the refrigerator.