Cherry Almond Cobbler

Because I don't do pie dough

A while back I scored on a bag of frozen sour cherry's something like 4 freaking pound bag for barely $10.  Can't buy fresh for that.  Can't buy fresh with the same convenience as they were already pitted!  Today it was our first really cool rainy day for the fall season.  In fact its raining right now...and cold stormy days bring out the baker in me.

This is really a simple recipe.  Frozen cherries and almond slices as the two simply play together quite well. I remember hearing, reading, picking up by osmosis that they are in the same plant family and thus have similar flavonoids that really enhance each other.  Almond makes cherry more cherry believe it or not.

For the prep of the streusel toppings you really need to use a food processor with a dough blade.  Its much faster to give it a couple of quick pulse whizzes than to cut it in by hand with a pastry cutter.

Cherry Almond Cobbler
6 c frozen pitted sour cherries
1 c sugar
3 T corn starch
pinch salt
1/4 t almond extract
1/2 t vanilla
topping
3/4 c flour
3/4 c quick cooking oats
2/3 c brown sugar
1 stick butter - chilled
1/4 t salt

Preheat oven to 350F  Grease 9X13 baking pan

Pour frozen cherries into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with the almond extract and vanilla. Let thaw 10-15 minutes.  Mix together salt, corn starch and sugar.  Sprinkle mixture over cherries and toss lightly to combine.

For topping combine flour, oats, brown sugar, and salt in food processor and pulse to combine a couple of times.  Cut butter into tablespoons and place evenly over flour mixture.  Pulse 7-10 times until it resembles wet crumbly sand.  (If not using food processor whisk together dry ingredients.  With pastry cutter cut in butter until it resembles wet crumbly sand.)

Pour cherries into prepared pan.  Spoon streusel evenly over the cherries.  Bake 45-50 minutes until topping is golden brown.