If you’re all finished making jams and jellies, now’s the time to think about making pie fillings to see us through the long months of winter.
And thanks to Marysville cook and longtime Forum reader Anita Dosie, we can do just that. “Back in 1995,” she writes, “our daughter in Oregon brought these recipes, along with a pretty big container of Clear-Jel for me to try.
“We loved it when I made cherry and rhubarb pies, but didn’t use it for many other things. I just did pies. I also used it in peach pies, and they were grand, too.
“When I ran out of the Clear-Jel, I tried to get it at supermarkets, but didn’t push it, so these recipes have just sat, waiting for me to send them to you.”
Now it’s true that Clear-Jel, a modified cornstarch thickening agent, is not what you might call readily available around here. But that’s not to say we can’t lay hands on it.
It is available ($2 for a one-pound package) at WSU Cooperative Extension, 306 S. First, Mount Vernon. Because this stuff is wildly popular with anyone who has ever used it, it tends to go fast this time of year.
But not to worry. When the supply dwindles, it’s always replenished, although the wait time might be a week or two.
While you’re mulling over this pie project, there a couple of things to keep in mind. First, you can fiddle with the sugar and spices in the recipes to suit your own personal taste whims, but don’t monkey with the amounts of other ingredients, especially the lemon juice.
Another thing – regardless of whether you’re freezing the fillings in cup, pint or quart sizes, it’s important to leave adequate head space because the thickened filling will expand when frozen.
One last thing – there are two possibilities for freezing the pie fillings. Freeze in suitable jars or containers and thaw before putting into an unbaked pie shell. Or, put the cooled filling into an unbaked pie shell and freeze.
To bake, place frozen pie in oven and bake at 425 degrees about 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake until filling is hot and bubbly and crust browned, about 30 to 40 minutes. Or, thaw the pie and filling and bake at 425 degrees 20 to 25 minutes or until crust is brown and the filling is hot.
Today we’ll start with two of the recipes Dosie sent along, and then have a couple more coming up in a future Forum column.
To make one quart, follow the first ingredient amounts listed. The larger ingredient amounts will yield seven quarts of filling. So get the Clear-Jel, get the fruit or berries and get busy making:
Cherry or blackberry pie filling
31/3cups (6 quarts) fresh sour cherries
1cup(7 cups) granulated sugar
1/4cup plus 1 tablespoon (13/4 cups) Clear-Jel
1/8teaspoon (1 teaspoon) cinnamon (optional)
11/3cups (91/3 cups) cold water or cherry juice
1/4teaspoon (2 teaspoons) almond extract (optional)
6drops (1/4 teaspoon) red food coloring (optional)
1tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (1/2 cup) bottled lemon juice
Rinse and pit cherries. To prevent stem end browning, hold pitted cherries in water containing 1 teaspoon ascorbic acid crystals or 6 crushed 500-milligram vitamin C tablets per 1 gallon of water. Combine sugar, Clear-Jel and cinnamon in a large saucepan. Stir. Add water or juice, almond extract and food coloring. Stir mixture and cook over medium-high heat until it thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Drain cherries thoroughly, fold into sugar mixture and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Cool thoroughly, then fill jars or other suitable containers, leaving suitable amount of head space, seal and freeze.
Makes 1 quart or 7 quarts.
For blackberry filling: Use the same amount of washed, drained berries as cherries. More sugar may be required for tart berries, and berry juice can be substituted for the water. When making berry filling, omit the cinnamon, almond extract and food coloring.
Peach pie filling
31/2cups (6 quarts) fresh sliced peaches
1cup (7 cups) granulated sugar
1/4cup plus 1 tablespoon (2 cups plus 3 tablespoons) Clear-Jel
1/8teaspoon (1 teaspoon) cinnamon (optional)
1/8teaspoon (1 teaspoon) almond extract (optional)
3/4cup (51/4 cups) cold water or fruit juice (orange, apple or other light-colored juice)
1/4cup (13/4 cups) bottled lemon juice
Peel, pit and slice peaches. To prevent browning, hold sliced peaches in water containing 1 teaspoon ascorbic acid crystals or 6 crushed 500-milligram vitamin C tablets per 1 gallon of water. Combine sugar, Clear-Jel and cinnamon in large saucepan. Stir. Add almond extract and water or fruit juice. Stir mixture and cook over medium-high heat until mixture thickens and begins to bubble.
Add lemon juice and boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Drain peaches thoroughly, fold into sugar mixture and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Cool thoroughly, then fill jars or other suitable containers, leaving suitable amount of headspace, seal and freeze. Makes 1 quart or 7 quarts.
The next Forum will appear in Friday’s Time Out section.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
