Sweet Cherry Pie Filling

       Do you keep hearing that you need to buy Cook Type Clear Jel to 'can up' fruit pie fillings?  Not so!  You can can up your favorite fruit pie filling without any thickeners and thicken when you go to make the pie!  It's as easy as 1-2-3  You just need to keep an eye on how much liquid is added into your pie crust before baking.  You will use 1/3 cup of liquid from the quart contents to mix and thicken with cornstarch but, when you go to 'dump' the remaining contents of the quart into that mix - be careful that you don't have too much liquid or you will end up with a great tasting but, slightly runny pie.  I reserve an additional 1/2 cup of liquid from the quart of pie filling * and used as a drizzle over our ice cream. I also make sure to lightly flour both sides of my bottom homemade pie crust when making fruit pies.  Enjoy~Diane 

Pie Filling Ingredients: 
For Each Quart: 
6 cups Dark Sweet Cherries
1/2 cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Bottled Lemon Juice 
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Almond Extract

One Quart makes One 9"inch Pie 
(my pie crust recipe below)
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Directions:

  To make pie filling: Wash, pit and stem cherries. Bring prepared fruit and sugar to a boil in a large saucepan; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Stir often to prevent scorching. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients.  Ladle hot mixture into prepared canning jars to a 1/2" head space.  Process quart jars 30 minutes in a boiling water bath *adjusting for your altitude.  Remove jars to a draft free area and let cool 24 hours before removing rings, washing, labeling and storing jars in pantry. 

  To use filling in a pie: thicken pie filling by draining 1/3 cup of liquid from the quart into a medium sized bowl, Whisk in 3 Tablespoons of cornstarch and 1/8 teaspoon of salt until mixture is smooth. Add in remaining contents of quart jar and stir gently to blend.  Pour into prepared pie crust. Top with remaining pie crust. Fold edges under and crimp. Cut slits in top for steam to escape.  If preferred, use a pastry brush to lightly brush unbaked pie crust with a milk wash and lightly sprinkle with demerara (course) sugar.  Bake pie at 450F for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 350F and bake an additional 25-30 minutes or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly.  

  To make a pie crust: 
Ingredients: 
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt  *pinch of sugar if you want a slightly sweet crust
2/3 cup cold butter (10 Tbs plus 2 tsp) 
1 egg yolk 
4 to 5 tablespoons cold water (more if too dry) 

Directions:
In a Cuisinart: Combine flour and salt, pulse for 2 seconds; cut butter up with a knife into small chunks and add to food processor. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Drop in egg yolk and enough water until flour is moistened, dough when pulsed should start to roll up into a ball on one side. Do not over mix; dough should be incorporated (not dry) and not sticky.  Take dough out of food processor bowl and lay onto a lightly floured surface.  Divide dough in half.  Shape each half into ball. Flatten slightly and wrap each half of dough in plastic food wrap, you will need both halves to make this pie, place in refrigerator for one hour (you want butter in dough to chill again after being "worked" so that your pie crust is flakier when baked.) 

For this double crust pie, roll out one half of dough on lightly floured surface into 12-inch circle. Fold into quarters (or roll onto rolling pin and carry over to pie plate)  Place dough into 9-inch pie pan sprayed with non-stick spray; unfold dough, pressing firmly but, gently against bottom and sides.  Do the same with the second ball of chilled dough (making the top.) 
 
*Special Thank You to The Washington State Fruit Commission and Northwest Cherries for supplying the awesome Bing Cherries!  Remember to "Preserve the Harvest" and visit sweetpreservation.com

Recipe from: Ball's New Book of Canning 
Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home