PICTURE this: a lazy summer afternoon, hammock in the shade, bees buzzing in the background and a big bowl of sweet, ruby red cherries to snack on.
Sounds good, huh? Undeniably, cherries are heavenly eaten fresh by the handful, but here are some dessert ideas for taking advantage of their short season that are a bit outside the box . . . or the bowl.
Here's a great tip: to pit cherries, push the pit through with a large plastic drinking straw (start at bottom of cherry, not stem end). It works like a charm and prevents red fingers!
FRESH CHERRY BERRY COBBLER
Filling:
3 cups sweet cherries, washed, stemmed and pitted (reserve any juice)
3 cups fresh blueberries
¼ tsp almond extract
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
½ tsp cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Topping:
1 1 ?3 cups all purpose flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
1½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup shortening
½ cup buttermilk
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine cherries with any reserved juice, blueberries and almond extract in a large bowl. Mix remaining filling ingredients together and sprinkle over fruit; gently toss until well blended. Pour into a nine-by-nine-inch glass baking dish. Set aside while making topping.
Combine dry topping ingredients in a large bowl. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Mix vanilla into buttermilk and add to dry ingredients; stir just until evenly moistened (don't overwork). Using a large spoon, drop the dough mixture evenly onto the cherries; sprinkle the one tablespoon of sugar over the dough. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly; serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
CHERRY PHYLLO CRISPS
2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
6 sheets of phyllo dough, trimmed to 11 by 16 inches
¼ cup melted butter
3 cup sweet cherries, pitted and halved
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl combine two tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon.
Lay one sheet of phyllo on a baking sheet (cover remaining sheets with a damp tea towel) and lightly brush surface with butter. Sprinkle with one teaspoon cinnamon sugar.
Repeat with the remaining sheets of phyllo. Arrange the cherries on top and sprinkle with the remaining two teaspoons sugar. Bake until crisp and golden brown, 1517 minutes. Cut into squares to serve.
CHERRY CLAFOUTIS WITH ALMOND CRUST
This is a classic French dessert, sort of like a cross between a custard and a pancake.
¼ cup butter, softened
¼ cup flaked almonds (natural or blanched)
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
½ cup all purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
¾ cup homogenized milk
½ tsp almond extract
½ tsp vanilla
3 cups fresh sweet cherries, pitted
Icing sugar
Whipped cream
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a blender combine the flour, salt, eggs, first two tablespoons sugar, milk, almond extract and vanilla and whirl at high speed for about 15 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the blender jar with a spatula then blend again for about 40 seconds.
Slather a shallow baking dish (about five to six cup capacity, at least two inches deep) with the ¼ cup butter and sprinkle with the almonds, pressing them in so they stick to the sides and bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the almonds with one tablespoon of sugar.
Add the cherries to the baking dish, distributing them evenly over the almonds.
Pour the batter evenly over top and bake in the middle of the oven for about 40-45 minutes or until puffed, set and golden brown around the edges. (Don't open the oven door during cooking). Serve clafoutis warm, dusted with icing sugar and with softly whipped cream on the side.
