Dark Cherry Pastry Pockets

As Christmas nears, there are tons of social gatherings to take homemade baked goods. My husband requested bite size cherry pies for a party tomorrow night. After making cupcake sized pies, I still had some leftover filling and dough. Instead of wasting it, I made individual pastry pockets for a nice dessert after Sunday dinner. The filling for the pies is made using dark cherries and orange zest; this combination is very different and much more complex than the typical cherry pie filling that comes from a can. Be warned....this is decadent! There is no room for the timid here.

Preheat Oven Temperature: 425 degrees

For the Filling:

48 ounces Frozen Dark Sweet Cherries

Zest of 1 Orange

Juice of 1 orange

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 2/3 Cup Sugar

2 Tablespoons Corn Starch

2 Tablespoons Butter

In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients except corn starch and butter. Simmer on medium-low for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Slowly add in the corn starch, stirring rapidly to avoid lumping. Melt in the butter and then allow the sauce to cool.

For the Pies:

2 Refrigerated Pie Crusts

Cherry Filling

On a lightly floured pastry mat, unroll the room temperature crusts. Cut each crust into quarters. Place the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Fill each pastry with 3-4 Tablespoons of filling, distributing evenly among the 8 pies. Make sure to place the filling in the middle of each pastry to allow for folding. Fold in opposite sides of the crust, tucking in the corners as you go; repeat folding the other way to create a little box around the filling. Gently slice 2 vent holes in the top of each pie to allow for the steam to escape. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden. Cool for 5 minutes and then serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

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