According to the ‘Cherry Varenyky’ recipes I found, I should use fresh Cherries. Cherry season in Melbourne is December. It’s March now. I couldn’t wait that long and I decided to use Frozen Cherries. It’s challenging to make ‘Cherry Varenyky’ using Frozen Cherries OR Canned Cherries, but it can be done. The juice that comes out from those Cherries is the problem. You need to manage the liquid. Please read my notes.

Makes

20 Pieces

Ingredients

Dough
1/2 Egg *whisked
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 cup Warm Water *OR Milk if you prefer
1 tablespoon (15g) Butter *melted
1 cup Plain Flour *plus extra

Filling & Serving
40 Pitted Cherries *Fresh Cherries recommended
*Note: If you use Frozen Cherries OR Canned Cherries, you need to manage the liquid. Please read ‘Method 3’.
Caster Sugar
Sour Cream to serve

Method
  1. Combine Egg, Salt & Water (OR Milk) in a mixing bowl, add Flour and melted Butter, stir to combine, and knead, adding extra Flour if required, until smooth. Dough should not be sticky. Wrap with plastic food wrap, and set aside to rest while you are preparing Filling.
  2. For the filling, Fresh Cherries are the best as they are dry and firm. Carefully remove stone. You can cut them in half if you prefer, but whole Cherries are easier to wrap.
  3. *Note: If you use Frozen Pitted Cherries OR Canned Pitted Cherries, place them on a sheet of paper towel, and pat dry them with another sheet of paper towel. Frozen Cherries should be thawed as it is easier to manage the liquid. Coating the Cherries with Corn Starch is a good idea because Corn Starch traps the juice.
  4. Divide the dough in 4 portions on a floured surface such as a chopping board, and cut each portion into 5 pieces. Press down each piece using your hand OR roll out using a rolling pin into 2mm thin round.
  5. Place 2 Cherries in centre, add about 1/4 teaspoon Caster Sugar, wet the edges with water, wrap the Cherries removing air as much as you can, and firmly close the edges. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

  6. *Note: You can make smaller rounds of pastry and wrap 1 Cherry each.
  7. Cook ‘Varenyky’ in rapidly boiling lightly salted water. ‘Varenyky’ might float quickly, but probably it is because of the trapped air inside the ‘Varenyky’ and they are not yet cooked. Keep cooking 2-3 minutes at least, for longer if you like them softly cooked, and transfer to a bowl using a slotted spoon or small skimmer. Add some Sugar to coat. Continue cooking the remaining ‘Varenyky’.
  8. Place cooked ‘Varenyky’ on a serving plate, sprinkle with some extra Sugar, and serve with Sour Cream.