It's cherry season in Michigan and here is my easy way to make Chocolate Fudge Triple Cherry Brownies. They are easy, super moist and delicious. Tune into WZZM TV13 on Sunday 7.2.17 around 7:45 am to see these brownies! Here is a link to the tv segment. A huge thank you to River Ridge in Sparta for delivering these delicious Michigan sweet cherries to use on the segment.
Here is Michigan, cherries come into season at the beginning of July. I like to make home made cherry pie filling and use it in several different ways. (Of course if cherries aren't in season, feel free to use canned cherry pie filling or frozen cherries.) One way that I like to use cherry pie filling is in brownies. Brownies are a go-to dessert for easy entertaining, but they have a tendency to dry out if you don't eat them right away. I add cherry pie filling to my brownie mix, because it keeps the brownies moist for days and it imparts an amazing flavor. With this recipe, I have added 3 different kinds of cherries. I find that adding tart cherries, sweet cherries and dried cherries to these brownies, is great way to add extra texture and flavor to this dish. Enjoy!
The National Cherry Festival is in full swing in Traverse City, Michigan this week. Check out their website for all of their events and activities!
Chocolate Fudge Triple Cherry Brownies
INGREDIENTS:
1 box chocolate fudge brownie mix & all the ingredients listed on back (usually eggs, oil and water)
1 cup cherry pie filling (recipe below)
1/4 cup black sweet cherries, pitted and halved
2 tablespoons dried cherries
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Prepare the brownie mix, according to the instructions on the box. Gently fold in all of the cherries, mix thoroughly and pour batter into 9x13 pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes clean.
NOTE-
Cherry Pie Filling:
1 cup fresh tart cherries, pitted
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
In a medium saucepan, add cherries, cornstarch, sugar, water, almond extract and lemon juice over medium heat. Cook for 10-12 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.
If using frozen cherries, let thaw completely. Add a pinch more of cornstarch because frozen cherries tend to have more water content than fresh cherries. Make sure the cherry filling thickens or the brownies won't have the right consistency.
