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Homemade Sweet Cherry Pie Filling

Source of Recipe


From "Ball Canning Back to Basics"



List of Ingredients



• 2 pounds dark, sweet cherries, stemmed, pitted, and chopped (about 6 cups)
  
• ½ cup sugar
  
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
  






Instructions



1. Bring cherries and sugar to a boil in a large stainless steel or enameled saucepan; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat, and stir in the juice and flavorings.
   
   
2. Ladle the hot fruit mixture into a hot jar, leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe the jar rim. Center the lid on the jar. Apply the band, and adjust to fingertip-tight. Place the jar in the boiling water canner.
   
   
3. Process the jar 30 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat; remove the lid, and let the jar stand 5 minutes. Remove the jar and cool.
   
   
   Makes one 1-quart jar filling for one 9-inch pie
   
   






Final Comments


Before using fruit pie filling straight from the pantry, you'll want to thicken it. Drain â…“ cup liquid from one jar of Homemade Sweet Cherry Pie Filling into a medium saucepan. Whisk 3 tablespoons cornstarch into the liquid until smooth. Add the remaining contents of the jar to the cornstarch mixture, and stir gently to blend. Bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute.