Were you wondering how many pounds of Rainier Cherries I’ve eaten in the four days I’ve been in Seattle? Well… just about six. Six pounds of cherries.
Were you wondering if you can get a terrible tummyache from too eating too many Ranier Cherries? Well… yes. Yes you can.
Wait… I just realized that this recipe is similiar to the Banana Bourbon Bread Pudding I just made. Yeesh. I’m on a baked bread and fruit and sugar kick. Bear with me.
I love a Brown Betty. They’re so simple. I imagine this is the sort of dessert I’ll make when I’m eighty, shuffling around the hosue wearing housecoats and slippers and lipstick.
This Brown Betty is cubed whole wheat bread, sugar, fruit and butter. You have that stuff on hand, don’t you.
My sister saw me cubing bread for this dessert and swore that it would be a terrible waste of cherries.
I called her a good for nothin’ whipper snapper and went about my business.
Pitting cherries is sort of like murder… without the death.
Layers of sugar, butter, bread and fruit bake up to be a simply sweet dessert that is just nutty enough, thanks to the whole wheat bread, and with just the right amount of moisture and richness, thanks to generous amounts of butter. I love cherries in this recipe, but you might want to try another summer fruit like : ripe peaches, raspberries or apricots. Win.
Oh! I had company while I made this Brown Betty. This is Charles. He doesn’t mind if you call him Chuck. He likes tomato soup and potato chips.
I was ready to shovel this Betty in my mouth even before I put it in the oven…
… but warm from the oven, totally worth the wait. I need ice cream.
Rainier Cherry Brown Betty
makes 8 servings
adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks… that’s Ree… she’s rad
2 cups pitted fresh Rainier Cherries, yes you can also use regular red cherries
7 slices whole wheat bread
3/4 cup salted butter, cold
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons water
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Pit and halve enough Rainier cherries to make two heaping cups of cherries. Set aside.
Dice the seven slices of bread into small cubes.
Coat a 9 or 10-inch pie pan with butter. This doesn’t have to be perfect, just make sure the entire pan is well greased.
Add 1/3 of the brown sugar, to the buttered pan. Top with 1/3 of the fresh cherries and 1/3 of the cubes bread. Slice butter and place on top of the bread crumbs. Repeat the layering process two more times, ending with the breadcrumbs and top with the last of the butter. Sprinkle with water.
Cover the pie dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil from the pan and bake for 5 minutes to brown and crisp the bread.
Allow to cool to room temperature and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Swell.
April
Sure hoping this is forgiving! Not sure what happened to my brain! First I forgot the butter when I layered and had to pull stuff back out which in turn mixed it up a bunch ad added the butter. The I found out for the first time in my life my foil was all gone! Not sure how that happens. Have placed another pie pan on top in exchange for the foil and hoping it still turns out.
cuke
hey wow far too sweet