Cherry Crunch Yogurt Teacake

Recipe makes 16 squares.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:
Cooking oil spray
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
6 1/2 ounce (200 g) low-fat Black Cherry yogurt
1/3 cup low-fat milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups self-rising (raising) flour
1/3 cup wheatgerm
1 lb 5.5 oz (670 g) jar Morello cherries, well drained and pitted
For the Topping:
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon butter or dairy spread, melted

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a 8 inch (20 cm) square baking pan with baking paper, allowing paper to extend on two opposite sides to form handles. Lightly spray with cooking oil.
2. Place sugar, yogurt, milk, egg and oil in a bowl. Whisk to combine. Sift together flour and wheatgerm. Stir through yogurt mixture until just combined. Fold in cherries. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle with Topping.
3. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until a skewer inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan. Remove to a wire rack.

To make Topping: Place all ingredients in a bowl. Mix until combined and evenly moist.

Chocolate and Cherry Pie

This pie contains cherries set in egg custard topped with dark chocolate icing. Recipe serves 8.

Ingredients:

2 sheets frozen ready-rolled short crust pastry, thawed
Filling:
2 large eggs
9 teaspoons cornflour
1/4 cup caster sugar
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring essence
3 teaspoons gelatin
14 ounce (415 g) can red cherries, drained and pitted
Topping:
3 1/2 ounces (100 g) dark cooking chocolate, broken into pieces
1/4 cup fresh cream

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Heat a baking tray in the oven.
2. Place a sheet of pastry on a lightly floured surface. Brush lightly with cold water, then lay the second pastry sheet on top. Roll out the pastry a little larger and line a 9 inch (23 cm) round pie dish. Cut out crescents from the trimmings. Brush the pastry rim and place crescents on the rim to decorate. Prick pastry case well and chill for 10 minutes.
3. Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper and a layer of baking beans. Put on the hot baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown, removing paper and beans for the last 5 minutes. Stand pie dish on a rack; cool.
4. For the filling, put the eggs, cornflour and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add 1/4 cup milk and beat together until smooth. Heat the remaining milk in a heavy-based saucepan until almost boiling; pour gradually onto the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Pour the mixture into the saucepan; stir over a medium heat until thick and smooth. Pour into a bowl; add the vanilla and cool until lukewarm.
5. Place 1/4 cup cold water in a heatproof bowl or enamel mug; sprinkle gelatin over and stir well. Stand the bowl or mug of gelatin in a hot-water bath until dissolved. Remove and cool until lukewarm. Quickly whisk gelatin mixture into custard. Cover surface of custard with clear plastic wrap and chill until cold and thick.
6. For the topping, put the chocolate and cream into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Heat very gently until melted. Stir until smooth and glossy. Cool.
7. Spread half the chocolate mixture over the base of the pastry case and cover with the cherries. Pour the custard over the cherries, then chill.
8. Re-melt the chocolate mixture and spread over the custard. Smooth the top and chill until set. Score the top diagonally with a sharp knife.

Cherry Strudel

Using Filo pastry makes this favorite fruit-filled dessert easy and fuss-free to prepare. Recipe makes 2 strudels.

Ingredients:

12 sheets ready-made filo pastry
2 1/2 ounces (75 g) unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 ounces (75 g) crushed Madeira cake crumbs or trifle sponge
Icing sugar, to dust
Filling:
1 1/2 pound (720 g) jar or tin pitted cherries in syrup
8 teaspoons cornflour or arrowroot
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring essence
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease 2 large baking trays with melted butter.
2. For the filling, drain the cherries and reserve the syrup. Blend the cornflour, smoothly and gradually with 1 cup syrup in a saucepan. Bring to boil over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Simmer gently for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cherries, vanilla and cinnamon. Allow to cool.
3. Unfold the sheets of filo pastry, but cover with clear plastic wrap and a damp tea towel. Layer 2 sheets together and brush with melted butter. Layer 2 more sheets on top and brush with more butter. Repeat once more.
4. Spoon half the filling along one long edge of the pastry. Sprinkle with half the cake crumbs. Brush the short edges with a little cold water, then roll up the strudel from the long edge, enclosing the cherry filling.
5. Press the edges together to seal. Lift onto a baking tray, seam-side down, and brush with more butter. Make another strudel as directed and place onto the second baking tray.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer the baking trays to wire cooling racks to cool for 15 minutes, then lift the strudels onto the wire racks to cool. Dust with icing sugar, slice diagonally, and serve.

Tip: Madeira cake may be bought in most supermarkets. Trifle sponges are sold from some cake shops. You can also use crumbs from suitable leftover homemade cakes.

Individual Cherry Pies

These scrumptious fruit pies made with canned cherries are easy to make and a dream to eat. Serve warm for dessert with whipped cream, if liked. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

13 ounce (410 g) can red cherries, drained
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup Bakeo (or similar prepared) pastry mix
1/2 (15 g) ounce butter
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 teaspoons sugar, extra
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Method:

1. Cut cherries in half, place in 4 ovenproof dishes (1/2 cup capacity).
2. In small bowl of electric mixer combine milk, sugar, pastry mix, butter, eggs and essence, beat until smooth. Pour mixture over cherries, bake in moderate oven 10 minutes, sprinkle with combined extra sugar and cinnamon; bake further 15 minutes.