Cherries add summer flavor to the dessert table
For Father’s Day, we went to Andy’s Orchard in Morgan Hill for a
cherry tasting and harvest walk. I love cherries, and unfortunately
the season is never long enough for me. While I’ve been filling up
on Bing and Rainier cherries at local farmers’ markets, I’ve been
looking forward to the cherry tasting, where Andy Mariani shares
dozens of cherries from his orchards.
Cherries add summer flavor to the dessert table
For Father’s Day, we went to Andy’s Orchard in Morgan Hill for a cherry tasting and harvest walk. I love cherries, and unfortunately the season is never long enough for me. While I’ve been filling up on Bing and Rainier cherries at local farmers’ markets, I’ve been looking forward to the cherry tasting, where Andy Mariani shares dozens of cherries from his orchards.
My family and I enjoyed trying more than 30 cherry varieties, from the familiar ones I find at local farmer’s markets to rarer ones such as a soft flesh Belle Magnifique and a crisp, complex Benton cherry. This year, Mariani debuted some cherries that are cross breeds between older cherries, and asked for feedback from guests on their favorite ones.
I ate plenty of cherries at the tasting, but I also made sure to fill up a bucket on the harvest walk. During the harvest walk, we were allowed to pick our own cherries for $2.50 a pound, the cheapest rate of the season for me. I needed at least two pounds for two cherry desserts.
The weather warmed up at the end of the week so it seemed like a good time to make some homemade ice cream for the first time this season. I didn’t have cherry liquer for the ice cream recipe, and I didn’t want to buy a bottle for the three tablespoons needed for it. I instead swapped it out for light rum, which I had in the cupboard. The ice cream ended up with a flavor reminiscent of Baskin-Robbins’ cherries jubilee, but with less sweetnees and more cherry chunks.
I’d also been holding onto a baked dessert that uses the cherries in a flan-like batter.
The hardest part of using fresh cherries in desserts is the need to remove the pits. I have a cherry pitter, but it still manages to get juice in many directions. Luckily for me, I had a volunteer who pitted the cherries for me, while I sliced them into fourths and halves. The ice cream and clafoutis were a perfect ending to a Father’s Day barbecue.
For those interested in trying some different fruits, Andy’s Orchards has another tasting and harvest walk scheduled for June 25 that will include late cherry varieties, apricots and other stone fruits. Admission is $15 or $12 for seniors. For the complete summer schedule, visit www.andysorchard.com.
Cherry ice cream
Recipe courtesy of www.101cookbooks.com
2 c. heavy cream
1 c. whole milk
1/4 c. honey (light flavored honey is best for this recipe)
3/4 lb. Bing, Lapin, or Sweetheart cherries, pitted and torn into chunks
3 tbsp. cherry liquor or cherry brandy or Amaretto
Place cream, milk, and honey in a medium saucepan. Stir to dissolve the honey. Heat over low to moderate heat, stirring from time to time, until tiny bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Be careful not to heat to a full-out boil.
Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Add the chopped cherries and liquor. Cover and refrigerate until completely chilled. Don’t skimp here or your ice-cream might not set up.
Stir the mixture again to blend and transfer it to an ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions and eat the same day.
Makes 1 quart.
Cherry Frozen Yogurt Recipe
Recipe courtesy of Simplyrecipes.com
3 c. pitted fresh cherries
2 tbsp. lemon juice
3/4 c. sugar (more or less depending on how sweet the cherries and how sweet you want your frozen yogurt to be)
1/4 c. whole milk (can substitute half-and-half or cream for creamier version)
1 1/2 c. full fat yogurt (if you are using non or low-fat yogurt, add 2 Tbsp heavy cream)
2 tbsp. almond liqueur such as Amaretto (optional)
Place the pitted cherries, lemon juice, and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. While the mixture is heating, use a potato masher to mash up the berries in the pot which will release some of their moisture. When all of the sugar has dissolved, remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Place contents in a blender and pulse until smooth.
Mix cherry puree, milk, and yogurt together in a bowl. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour; the longer the mixture chills the better (can chill overnight).
Right before processing in an ice cream maker, add the almond liqueur if using. The alcohol in the liqueur will help keep the frozen yogurt smooth, but it is not necessary. Process the mixture in your ice cream maker for 25 minutes.
You can eat it right away (it will be rather soft) or put it in the freezer for a few hours to harden up a bit.
Makes a little more than 1 quart.
Cherry Clafoutis
Recipe courtesy of Food Network
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, thinly sliced,
plus more for the dish
1 lb. (2 c.) fresh cherries, pitted (or one 10-ounce bag frozen cherries, thawed and patted dry)
3 large eggs
1 1/4 c. half-and-half
1/2 c. 4-percent cottage cheese
1/2 c. plus 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter an 11-inch-round baking dish and spread the cherries evenly over the bottom.
Whisk the eggs, half-and-half, cottage cheese, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and the flour in a bowl until combined. Pour the batter over the cherries, sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and scatter the sliced butter on top.
Bake until puffed and golden around the edges, about 40 minutes. Cool slightly, then dust with confectioners’ sugar.
