Quick Candied Cherry Food

HOMEMADE CHERRY BREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 375F (190C). Grease and flour a 9 inch loaf pan.
• In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, add the butter and mix to form a crumbly mixture. Remove 3/4 cup of the mixture (this is your crumb topping) and set aside.
• In a medium bowl with a fork or whisk beat together the milk, eggs and vanilla. Add it to the flour mixture and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula just until combined. The batter should be a little lumpy. Do not over mix.
• Fold in the cherries and transfer to the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle with the crumb topping. Bake for approximately 50-60 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness. Let cool in the loaf pan then move to a wire rack to cool completely before serving. Enjoy!

CHERRY-CHOCOLATE LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x4-inch loaf pan with 1 teaspoon butter and reserve.
• Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a bowl.
• Cream 1/2 cup butter and sugar together in another bowl with a spatula or an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time with a whisk or an electric mixer, fully blending in the first egg before adding the next. Stir in yogurt and vanilla extract.
• Chop pitted cherries coarsely with a knife, or by pulsing on and off a few times in a food processor. Add to the wet ingredients along with the chocolate chunks and chopped walnuts. Stir briefly to combine. Batter may look curdled, but don't worry.
• Pour in the flour mixture and mix with a spatula until all the flour has disappeared. Transfer batter into the prepared loaf pan, making sure to smooth the top evenly and fill in the corners. Tap pan on the counter to release any air pockets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let bread rest in the pan for 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
• While bread is resting, combine powdered sugar and milk in a bowl for icing, adding more milk as needed to reach a thin, runny consistency.
• Brush icing over loaf, allowing to drip down the sides. Let cool completely before slicing and serving, about 20 minutes more.

CHEERY CHERRY LOAF

Steps:

• Drain red cherries, reserving liquid; add water, if needed, to liquid to equal 1/3 cup. Cut up cherries; set cherries and liquid aside. , In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, butter and cherry liquid; stir into dry ingredients just until combined. Fold in the red and green cherries, pecans and orange zest. , Pour into a greased 9x5-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack.

CANDIED CHERRIES

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring sugar & water to boil, then add cherries & lemon half.
• Reduce heat to low & let simmer about 20 minutes, or until syrup is red & slightly thick.
• Remove from heat & let stand 2-3 hours or overnight.
• Strain the cherries, reserving the syrup, & set the cherries aside.
• Discard lemon half & add apple juice to the syrup.
• Over medium-high heat, bring syrup to boil & cook 5 minutes.
• Return cherries to syrup, reduce heat to low & cook slowly until thick & a candy thermometer reads 220 degrees F (or 105 degrees C).
• Cherries can be stored at least 6 months in the refrigerator.

CHERRY CHRISTMAS SLICES

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla; beat until fluffy. Add flour; mix well. Stir in cherries and pecans. Chill 1 hour. , Shape dough into three 10-in.-long logs; wrap securely and place in a freezer bag. Freeze until ready to bake, or up to 2 months., To bake, cut frozen logs into 1/8-in. slices, and place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 325° until edges are golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Cool on wire racks.