Flavors To Enhance Unsweetened Cherries In Cobbler

[AnnieDrews]

I have some frozen, dark sweet cherries (unsweetened) that inadvertently became UNfrozen. I was looking for a recipe to use them up and found a cobbler recipe online that calls for mixed berries (frozen blackberries and raspberries, thawed). It calls for 1 tsp. lemon juice in the filling and 1/2 tsp. grated orange rind in the topping as the only added flavors. In using the cherries, should I keep those or maybe use vanilla or cinnamon or some other flavor to enhance the cherries?

Any suggestions welcome! Thanks!!

 

[bethzaring]

I would add lemon juice, almond extract and vanilla extract to the filling.

 

[bakechef]

Almond extract works well with cherries!

 

[AnnieDrews]

Thanks guys! I think I'll keep the lemon juice (and also do lemon peel instead of the orange) and do a vanilla and almond mix. If the recipe turns out as good as I hope, I'll post it.

 

[AnnieDrews]

Just updating cos that's how I roll.

I made the cobbler Friday evening and it wasn't good in any sense of the word. The recipe was a healthy whole wheat flour cobbler and I thought it had looked good AND it got good reviews. The topping/dough was really not good, nor was the filling I adapted. I have decided that I do not like the flavor of almond extract in anything. Lots of bakers are using it in cupcake/cookie frosting and I just don't like that taste.

So...as I told my fiance when we both decided it was a flop, "I can't hit a homerun every time!" It wasn't even a walk. LOL

Thanks for all of the input everyone.

P.S. Anyone want a slightly used bottle of almond extract?

 

[bakechef]

Almond extract is a very strong flavor, it can take over the flavor of a dish very easily. In cherry things or even coconut things I use a very small amount to enhance the flavor, most wouldn't detect an almond flavor, but a brighter cherry or coconut flavor. If I was making a coconut cream pie I would only use maybe a 1/4 tsp of almond extract along with vanilla. In a fruit cobbler maybe a 1/2 tsp.

 

[Zhizara]

I wonder if mascerating the cherries like you would strawberries would have worked.

 

[AnnieDrews]

Almond extract is a very strong flavor, it can take over the flavor of a dish very easily. In cherry things or even coconut things I use a very small amount to enhance the flavor, most wouldn't detect an almond flavor, but a brighter cherry or coconut flavor. If I was making a coconut cream pie I would only use maybe a 1/4 tsp of almond extract along with vanilla. In a fruit cobbler maybe a 1/2 tsp.

I used 1/2 tsp. of the almond extract. I maybe should have used less.

 

[AnnieDrews]

I wonder if mascerating the cherries like you would strawberries would have worked.

Actually, the filling thickened up well (the recipe used the flour to thicken). Other than the almond flavor, I think it would have been fine. I actually also added some frozen, chopped pears I had in the freezer because I noticed I didn't have as many cherries as I thought I did.