Individual Sour Cherry Pies

As summer is rapidly coming to a close a little voice keeps reminding me to use the sour cherries I froze last year. Eek... They need to be used soon.

This summer I have made sour cherry crisp 3 times, a sour cherry cake that was kind of a flop, 2 carrot cakes, a chocolate hazelnut brioche loaf, a rainbow cake, a pecan tart,  and a couple of sour cherry cakes with streusel topping. I needed to try something new.

I came across a recipe for individual sour cherry pies. I had sour cherries and I had some individual tart/pie pans I brought from Germany a couple of years ago. So it was time to inaugurate the pans!
For the pastry I was inspired by both Martha Stewart and America's Test Kitchen. Thank you both.

This recipe called for:

Pastry:
2 1/2 Cups of all purpose flour
1 Teaspoon of Salt
1 Teaspoon of Whey Low sugar substitute
2 Sticks (1/2 pound) of cold butter - in pieces
1/4 cup plain Vodka
1/4 cup cold Water

Filling:
4 Cups of Frozen Sour Cherries (1 1/3 Pounds)
1 Cup of Whey Low sugar substitute
2 1/2 Tablespoons Corn Starch
Juice and Grated rind of 1/2 Lemon
1 Large Egg
2 Tablespoons Skim Milk (or regular milk or cream)

Sour Cherry Pie

See all the details after the jump:

New Things! and a Spiced Pumpkin Cake

This week I received my new Kitchen Aid 600 Watt 6 Quart Mixer.  It is very nice.

For my first project with the new toy I decided to make something pumpkin. I found 2 large cans of pumpkin in the cupboard when I moved. Although it is spring, or even summer, across the continent here in the Pacific Northwest a rainy spring has been lingering. It is so bad this month is being nicknamed June-uary. So in celebration of June-uary I made a Spiced Pumpkin Cake - a Martha Stewart recipe.

For this recipe I used:

For the Cake:
4 Cups Cake Flour
4 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
4 Tablespoons Buttermilk Powder
1 Cup Unsalted Butter
2 1/2 Cups Light Brown Sugar
4 Large Eggs
1 Cup Water
1 1/2 Cups Pumpkin Puree

Frosting
1 Cup Icing Sugar
1 Teaspoon Milk

Looks Great

More after the jump....

New Things

During the summer I picked up a couple of new things! Well.... one was a thoughtful gift.

I picked up a copy of Donna Hay Magazine Issue 62  - Autumn 2012. I picked this up in July. Autumn in July! As this is an Australian magazine it was Autumn there. I can't wait to try out a bunch of things from this issue: Ginger Cardamom Pomegranate Syrup Cake, Toffee Custard Pots, Soft Caramels, Rum & Date Cake with Caramel Sauce, and home made Dulce De Leche. I will have to translate from Australian to American...but that is an easy sacrifice!

The second acquisition is Martha's American Food. The mid west section seems to temp me most.

Happy Cooking!

September 10, 2012 Update.... The Pot Roast Recipe in Martha's American Food is the best I have ever had!