This was my first time making Cherry Pie Filling, and I took the advice of experienced makers around here to use Clearjel for thickener.
I’ve adapted the recipe from The Babbling Botanist here according to my own tastes and preferences. She does a great job of explaining the process of using Clearjel
I must say, it’s a little strange to use: for starters, it looks like it burns when it first starts to thicken, and when it does congeal, it does so VERY quickly.
But, the results speak for themselves. It turned out fantastic, and I’m sure I’ll be adapting the recipe for all sorts of pie filling in the future!
Cherry Pie Filling
Pie filling with Sour Cherries
Ingredients
- 475 g Sour Cherries Pitted, Fresh (3 1/2 Cups)
- 1 L Water For blanching
- 200-240 g Sugar (1 Cup)
- 330 ml Reserved Blanching Water Use fresh water or fruit juice if using frozen cherries)
- 50 g Clearjel Cook Type (5 Tbsp)
- 60 ml Bottled Lemon Juice (1Tbsp + 1 tsp)
- 4 ml Almond Extract optional (1/4 tsp)
- 1/8 tsp Cinnamon optional (1/8 tsp)
Instructions
- Measure out and blanch cherries. Note: If using frozen cherries, you do not need to blanch.
- Reserve 330ml/jar of blanching water for use for pie filling
- Combine sugar, Clear-Jel, and cinnamon (if desired) in a large saucepan.
- Stir in reserved water (or juice) and almond extract.
- Stir mixture and cook over medium high heat until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Note: with Clearjel, it will start to look like it's been burned on the bottom and get "chunky" THIS IS NORMAL, just keep stirring until it's thick and translucent.
- Add lemon juice and boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Fold in cherries.
- Fill jars, leaving 1 inch headspace.
- Process immediately in a boiling water bath for 30 mins.