Easy Cherry Kuchen - Pilar Hernández's Chilean Kitchen
Cherry kuchen. I made this particular one in a square pan because I wanted it to be easier to cut and eat by hand. I took it to one of the orchards where I work to celebrate the birthday of our "boss," Sister Heloise. Our orchard is located within a Dominican Sisters' convent.
- 250 grams of all-purpose flour (2 cups)
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 125 grams of butter at room temperature (8 tablespoons)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- zest of one lemon
- 1/3 cup of cold water
- 2 cups of sour cherries
- 1 cup of milk, I used semi-skimmed
- 1/3 cup of sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- powdered sugar
- Preheat the oven to 350F or 180C.
- Butter a removable ring mold.
- Beat the butter until creamy, add the sugar and beat until fully incorporated, add the lemon zest and the egg, beat until incorporated.
- Add the flour and baking powder, mix, add the water, you will get a fairly soft and moist dough.
- Transfer to the mold and spread with a spatula, making sure to create a good edge to hold the filling later. Prick with a fork and bake for 15 minutes until lightly golden.
- In the same bowl where the dough was prepared, prepare the cream. Whisk the milk with the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Dissolve the cornstarch in 1/4 cup of cold water and add it to the previous mixture.
- Wash and dry the cherries, cut them in half and remove the pit.
- Remove the dough from the oven and pour the cream over it, on the hot dough. Distribute the cherries on top.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until cooked through and no longer moving in the center.
- Let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.
- Store refrigerated.
This is one of the gardens I manage and coordinate now. My American friends there are the ones who accompanied me during the years without a work visa and identity here in the US. They know me like no one else, so it always makes me very happy to share these celebrations with them.
The cherry kuchen was delicious, but I don't recommend making it square because it doesn't look as nice. I prefer it in a traditional pan; the filling-to-pastry ratio is better too. This one had too much pastry around the edge.
If you want to make it with pre-cooked cream, use the Southern Kuchen recipe.
Description
A delicious and easy kuchen.
- ½ cup of granulated sugar
Important note: For the kuchen to set properly and the cream to set correctly, pour the cream over the pastry immediately after it comes out of the oven and return the kuchen to the oven quickly. If you're unsure about timing or your oven isn't reliable, it's best to cook the cream in a small saucepan, stirring until thickened before placing it in the oven. Then bake for another 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
- To make the dough: Grease a removable ring mold.
- To make the filling: In the same bowl where the dough was prepared, prepare the cream. Whisk the milk with the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Dissolve the cornstarch in 1/4 cup of cold water and add it to the previous mixture.
