Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Ground Cherry Crumb Pie


Ground cherries (Physalis pruinosa), also known as "husk tomatoes", seem to be growing in popularity.They are a unique fruit, which grow wrapped in a husk. Each ground cherry plant can produce a couple hundred fruits, so you'll have plenty of them. Here's a quick & easy pie, to help you use up some of your cherries!



This is one of our all time favorite pies. It lasts no time at all around here! Everyone in the whole family just loves it. I always save some berries to make one of these pies for Thanksgiving. It's perfect served hot, with a scoop of ice cream!




For the pie:

  • 3-3 1/2 Cups Ground Cherries
  • 1/2 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Flour
  • 2 Tbsp Water
  • One Unbaked Deep Dish Pie Shell (can make your own or use pre-made)

For the crumb topping:

  • 1/2 Cup Flour
  • 1/4 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
  • 1/4 Cup White Sugar
  • 1/4 Cup Cold Butter



First, remove the husks from your ground cherries. I've found that between 3-3 1/2 cups of cherries works best. You can still get away with using as little as 2 1/2 cups, but your pie will be somewhat small. After removing the husks, wash the fruits and let them drain. 


Pre-heat your oven to 425° F. Place the fruits into your pie shell and spread them out evenly. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and flour. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the cherries. Next, drizzle two tablespoons of water over the cherries. 


To be honest, if you decided to completely skip the crumb topping, this pie will still taste great (I know this because I have done it). If you are not a huge fan of crumb toppings, feel free to use a regular pie crust as well. If you are a crumb-topping-kind-of-person, combine the flour & sugar in a bowl, and cut in the butter until it becomes crumbly. 

Feel free to put as little or as much of this topping as your prefer. I usually do not put the whole amount. Spread the crumbs out evenly over your pie. Place the pie into a pre-heated, 425°F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375°F and continue to cook for 25 more minutes. If you find that the edges are browning too much for your liking, cover them with tinfoil.




Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream & enjoy!



Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Making Apple Butter in the Crockpot


Apple butter is extremely easy to make! If you can peel and chop apples, you can make apple butter. It's absolutely delicious and can be used in many ways. When used to top ice cream, it almost tastes like you're eating apple pie. Using a crockpot makes it even easier! I've included the recipe so you can get started on your own apple butter.



The entire process takes about 15 hours. I find that it's easiest to start it on a Friday evening, so you can let it cook all night. This recipe yields four pints, or about eight cups.

You will need:

  • 5 1/2 lbs Apples, finely chopped (or messily, chopped, doesn't really matter!)
  • 1 1/4 Cup White Sugar
  • 1 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
  • 2 Tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/4 Tsp Ground Cloves
  • 1/4 Tsp Ground Nutmeg
  • 1/4 Tsp Salt



First, you must peel and chop your apples. Chop them into the smallest pieces you can. They don't need to be neat, just generally the same size. Fill your crock pot up until it is almost full. As time goes on, the apples will gradually cook down.


In a small bowl, mix all other ingredients together. Fold into the apples until they are all evenly coated with the mixture. I find that using a big wooden spoon makes this step easier. Cover and set your crock pot on high for one hour. After an hour, turn it to low and cook for 12+ hours. You can open it occasionally to stir.


The apples will slowly turn into a smoother, dark brown mixture. After about twelve hours, I like to use my handheld stick blender to smooth out the butter. At this point, you can uncover the apple butter and allow it to begin thickening, while still keeping the crock pot on low heat. This step may take 3+ hours.

You can tell that your apple butter is done by dropping a spoonful onto a plate and letting it sit for two minutes. If liquid does not separate from the butter after two minutes, your apple butter is done! Place the apple butter into sterile containers and refrigerate or freeze.  Enjoy!


Shared on the Homestead Blog Hop, HomeAcre Hop, and Tasty Tuesday!