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Cherry

The cherries sold fresh in most markets are sweet cherries -- they have a thick, rich, almost plumlike texture and sweet taste. If you like your cherries cooked, then you have probably eaten tart cherries, which are juicier and slightly sour.

About This Plant
Tart cherries thrive in zones 4 to 6, sweet cherries in zones 5 to 7. Tart cherries are self-fertile, while sweet cherries need a compatible variety for cross-pollination. Choose sweet cherry varieties that are especially adapted to your climate and resistant to the major diseases in your area. Standard-size trees start bearing in about their fourth year, dwarf trees in about their third year. One mature, standard-size tart or sweet cherry tree will produce 30 to 50 quarts of cherries each year; a dwarf tree, about 10 to 15 quarts.

Site Selection
Choose a sunny site with good air circulation and deep, well-drained soil. Avoid low areas or places surrounded by buildings or shade trees, where cold air settles.

Planting Instructions
Plant cherry trees in early spring. Set bare-root trees atop a small mound of soil in the center of the planting hole, and spread the roots down and away without unduly bending them. Identify original planting depth by finding color change from dark to light as you move down the trunk towards the roots. If the tree is grafted, position the inside of the curve of the graft union away from the afternoon sun.

For container-grown trees, remove the plant from its pot and eliminate circling roots by laying the root ball on its side and cutting through the roots with shears. 

Care
Train dwarf tart cherry trees to a central leader. Train semi-dwarf or standard-size cherry trees to a modified leader. Prune trees every year in late winter to encourage the growth of new fruiting wood. 

Harvesting
The sugar content of cherries rises dramatically in the last few days of ripening, so wait until they turn fully red, black, or yellow (depending on the variety) before harvesting. Harvest as the cherries ripen over the course of about a week. Pick the cherries with the stems attached, being careful not to tear off the fruit spur that will produce fruit year after year.

Question:

How do I start a cherry tree from the pit?

Hardiness Zone: 7a

Answer:

To start a cherry tree from a pit, remove the pit from the fruit and clean off any remaining flesh. Don't try and remove the hard part of the shell that surrounds the pit. Cherry pits need a chilling period before germinating. To mimic the necessary winter-like conditions, place the pit in a plastic bag filled with moist vermiculite or peat moss (or damp paper towels) and store the bag in the refrigerator for about 10 weeks. Check the moisture level in the bag now and then and don't let the pit dry out. After about 10 weeks of chilling the pit is ready to be planted. You can start it in a pot indoors or plant it outside. Plant seeds about 1/2 inch deep in nutrient-rich well-drained soil with exposure to full sun. You should expect to see growth in after a few weeks. If our planting outdoors during cold weather, the seedling may just stay chilled and resume growth the following spring. After planting, you can expect to see mature fruit after 7 to 10 years. Grafting your seedling onto an already mature tree will reduce the waiting time considerably. It's best to plant several seeds at one time, because a good number of seeds may fail to germinate. It's also helpful to understand that the fruit you eventually harvest from the "pit" tree is not likely to be the same juicy cherries you ate from the parent tree. Commercial fruit trees are propagated from grafting or budding so your seeds will not likely reproduce true to the parent plant. The fruit from your seedling may be somewhat bitter, then again, it might taste even better than the original cherry.

Cherry Bars I
Ingredients:

Sift together:

In another bowl, beat:

Until well mixed

Add: 4 eggs (beat in one at a time)

Add: 1 t. vanilla

Add to flour mixture and mix well.

Spread 3/4 of mixture on greased cookie sheet. Keep 2 1/2 inches from edge of the pan. Spread with 1 large can cherry pie filling. Spoon remaining mix over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Note: Any fruit pie filling can be used.

Cherry Bars II

Ingredients

Directions

Mix together dry ingredients. Spread 1/2 of the oleo and dry ingredients mixture in bottom of 8x8 pan. Pour a can of cherry pie filling next. Spread other 1/2 on top. Bake at 350 degrees until it starts bubbling on top.

Cherry Bars III

Ingredients

Glaze:

Directions

Cream sugar and margarine; add eggs, salt, baking powder, vanilla and flour.. Spread 1/2 the batter on a greased jelly roll pan. Cover with pie filling. Drop the remaining batter on top by teaspoonfuls. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Spread with glaze; sprinkle with nuts, if desired. For Glaze: Heat sugar, butter and milk until butter is melted. Add powdered sugar and vanilla until consistency of a glaze.

Chocolate Cherry Bars

Ingredients

Bar:

Frosting:

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 15x10 jelly roll pan or 9x13 pan. In a large bowl, combine all bar ingredients. By hand, stir until well mixed.. Pour into prepared pan.

For 15x10 inch pan, bake at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. For 9x13 inch pan, bake 25-35 minutes.

In a small saucepan, combine sugar, margarine and milk; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate chips until smooth. Pour over warm bars. Cool completely; cut into bars. Makes 48 bars.

No-Bake Cherry Dessert Pie

Ingredients

  • Graham cracker crust
  • 1 cup milnot
  • 1 lg. Cream cheese
  • 2 packages. Dream whip
  • 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
  • 1 can cherry pie mix

Directions

Beat dream whip and milnot. Add confectioners sugar, cream cheese. Beat until smooth. Chill 1 hour. Add cherry pie mix to crust and spread remaining dream whip mixture on top.

Cherry Coffee Cake (Freezer Dessert)
This classic coffee cake adds the right amount of fruit in addition to a hint of cardamom for a truly unique and delicious breakfast treat. The Cherry Coffee Cake is wonderful when served with coffee, tea or alone!

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 cup softened butter
  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (can also use sour milk)
  • 2 cups dried tart red cherries or cranberries
  • Crumb topping

Crumb Topping Recipe:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup softened butter

Directions:

Line 2- 8 x 8 x 2 inch baking pans or 9 x 1 1/2 inch round baking pans with foil making sure to extend the foil over the edges. Grease the foil. In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after adding each one. Combine the flour, baking powder, cardamom, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to the beaten mixture and beat on low after each addition until thoroughly combined. Fold in the dried cherries or cranberries. Divide evenly between the prepared baking pans.

Next, make the crumb topping by combining the all-purpose flour, brown sugar and softened butter in a medium bowl. Stir with a fork until it is crumbly and top evenly over the prepared cakes. Bake the cakes at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until they are cooked thoroughly. Cool the two cakes completely before wrapping to be frozen. The cherry coffee cakes can be frozen for up to three months.

To serve the frozen Cherry Coffee Cakes, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

The Cherry Coffee Cake yields 9 servings each.

Cream Cheese Cherry Danish Dessert
Ingredients
  • 2 cans (8 oz) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls, divided
  • 2 tubs (8 oz) Light cream cheese spread
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 can cherry pie filling
  • 1-2 Tbsp. fat-free milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Unroll 1 of the cans of crescent dough. Place in greased 13x9 inch baking pan; press onto bottom of pan to form crust, firmly pressing seams together to seal.

Beat cream cheese spread, 3/4 cup of the sugar, the egg white and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Spread onto crust; cover with pie filling.

Unroll remaining can of crescent dough onto large sheet of waxed paper. Pat out dough to form 13x9 rectangle, pressing seams together to seal. Invert over pie filling to for top crust; discard wax paper.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool at least 20 minutes. Gradually add milk to remaining 3/4 cup sugar; beating until well blended and thick. Drizzle over warm dessert. Cut into 24 rectangles to serve. Store leftover dessert in refrigerator.

 

Cherry Kisses
This is a really NEW recipe, because I just made it up! I am starting to make my Christmas cookies and freeze them. Hershey just came out with a cherry cordial kiss, so with the help of a couple of different cookie recipes, I came up with this one. My little 2 1/2 year old grandson "helped" mix. He waited until I stopped the mixer and he added each ingredient.

Ingredients

  • 2 3/4 cups flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 3 oz. box cherry Jello
  • 1 cup butter or margarine
  • 1 tsp. almond flavoring
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. soda
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • red paste coloring, optional
  • 60 cherry cordial Hershey kisses

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Sift flour, salt, and soda together. Mix butter, sugar and jello until creamy, and add eggs one at a time. Add almond flavoring. Add flour mixture alternately with milk. Flour hands and roll 1 tablespoon balls of dough on ungreased cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes. Place unwrapped kiss in the center of HOT baked cookie and cool completely on the cookie sheet. This takes a long time for the kiss to solidify, so don't rush or you will have nothing but blobs on the cookie.

 

Cherry Cake

Cherry Cake

Ingredients:

  • 1 regular pkg. miniature marshmallows
  • 1 regular pkg. cherry Jello
  • 1 yellow cake mix (without pudding)
  • 1 can cherry pie filling

Directions:

Sprinkle marshmallows over bottom of 9x13 greased pan. Do not pack them too tightly. Prepare yellow cake mix and pour over marshmallows. Mix cherry Jello with can cherry pie filling. Put over top of cake batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Cherry Cake II

Ingredients:

  • 2 cup sugar
  • 2 sticks margarine
  • 4 eggs
  • 3 cup self rising flour
  • 1 can cherry pie filling*
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Cream sugar and margarine. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add flour and vanilla. Pour 1/3 of batter into a 9"x13" baking dish. Pour pie filling over the batter. Dab remaining batter by spoonfuls over pie filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

*Any flavor of pie filling can be used.

Cherry Cake III

  • 1 box Chocolate Fudge or Devil's Food Cake mix
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1 can cherry pie filling

Mix above by hand. Pour into greased pan 10x15 inch. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes.

While baking cake, combine in a saucepan:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 5 Tbsp. Oleo
  • 1/3 cup milk

Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add:

  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 cup chopped nuts

Spread on cake while both are warm.

 

French Cherry Pie
Ingredients:
  • 1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp. almond
  • 1 cup heavy cream (whipped) or 4 1/2 oz Cool Whip

Directions:

Add sugar and flavoring to creamed cheese and beat until smooth and fluffy. Fold creamed cheese mixture into the whipped cream carefully. Spread over bottom of baked pie shell. Cover with canned cherry pie filling and chill thoroughly.