Cherry Recipes

For more cherry recipes, visit: www.cherrymkt.org

• Cherry Festival Pecan Stickey Buns
• Cherry Lemonade
• Using Tart Cherries
• Using Dried Cherries

Cherry Festival Pecan Sticky Buns

A delightful complement to any early-morning breakfast, mid-day brunch, or an evening or holiday meal. The fragrant taste of cherries is blended nicely into the filling, surrounded by sweet dough.

Basic Sweet Dough

Ingredients:

Milk	4 cups
Yeast	2 tablespoons
Sugar	1 cup
Salt	1 tablespoon
Butter (melted)	stick (4 oz)
Nutmeg	_ teaspoon
Vanilla	1 teaspoon
Eggs	4
All-purpose flour	6 - 7 cups

Method:

1. Heat milk until a skin forms on surface, remove from heat and add butter. Allow mixture to cool.

2. Add eggs, sugar, yeast and vanilla and beat into the milk mixture.

3. Gradually add the flour and salt. Stir until a smooth but sticky dough is formed. Cover and let rise in a warm place.

Filling for Sweet Dough

Softened butter	8 tbsp
Brown sugar	1 cup
Cinnamon	2 tbsp
Dried Cherries, chopped	1 1/2cup

Smear

Brown Sugar	1 cup firmly packed
Cinnamon	1 tbsp
Butter, melted	12 oz (3 sticks)
Corn syrup	3/4cup
Honey	1 cup
Pecans pieces	2 cups

1. Cream first three ingredients.

2. Using an electric mixer, slowly blend in syrup and honey on MED speed.

3. Reserve the pecans for the assembly process.

To Assemble Sticky Buns:

Roll dough into a large rectangle.

Using a pastry brush, apply the melted butter on the dough. Mix together the brown sugar and the cinnamon and sprinkle the mixture over the top of the butter. Evenly distribute the chopped cherries over the dough.

Roll the dough up jelly-roll style and seal the edges tightly. Let rest while preparing the pan.

Take a 12" X 18" baking sheet and apply one quarter to one third inch of the smear to the bottom. Be careful not to use too much. Sprinkle the pecans onto the smear. Save remaining smear for another pan.

Take the prepared sweet dough and cut it into 1 _" circles until all the dough is used.

Place the rolls, wide side down on the prepared pan about _" apart.

Place pan in a warm place and proof until almost double in volume.

Bake at 350 – 375 F for 20 – 25 min. or until smear is a rich amber color.

After removing from the oven, immediately invert the pan onto a clean serving dish.to the top

Cherry Lemonade Yield = aprox 1 qt

Lemon juice, fresh squeezed	6 oz
Confectioners' sugar	4 tbsp
Water	24 oz
Cherry juice concentrate	4 oz

1. Combine the lemon juice and the sugar. Stir to dissolve.

2. Add the water and cherry juice concentrate and stir.

3. Serve over ice. to the top

Using Tart Cherries

Santa's Treat: Add toasted almonds to cherry pie filling along with a little almond extract; use to fill crepes.

Sugar and Spice: Serve warm cherry pie filling over just made gingerbread.

Christmas Brunch: Add cinnamon, cloves and allspice to cherry pie filling; use as a filling for omelets.

Holiday Buffet: Combine cherry pie filling and canned sweet potatoes; bake in a 350-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Super Bowl Sensation: Mix dried tart cherries with cashews, smoked almonds, or honey-roasted peanuts for a tasty snack.

Après-ski: Combine cherry juice blend, a little sugar, a hint of lemon, whole cloves and a cinnamon stick. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Discard cloves and cinnamon stick. Store in a thermos for an after-skiing treat.

Be My Valentine: Pair up cherries and chocolate for taste- tempting Valentine's Day treats. Add cherry pie filling to your favorite brownie recipe or dollop cherry pie filling into chocolate cupcakes before baking.to the top

Using Dried Cherries

Dried tart cherries make delicious additions to meals and snacks.

Dried tart cherries are a relatively new product that is available in bulk and single-serve packages in supermarkets, specialty food stores and by mail order. Here are some fast facts about this nutritious, no-fat product:

1 It takes six to eight pounds of fresh tart cherries to make one pound of dried cherries.

2 Dried tart cherries are generally infused with sugar or other sweeteners prior to drying. This improves the distinctive tart cherry flavor.

3 No additives or preservatives, other than the sweeteners, are added in the processing of the product.

4 The minimum shelf life for dried cherries is 12 months, provided they are stored in a cool, dry place. It is not necessary to refrigerate or freeze them.to the top