The time of cherry blossoms, sweet-smelling air and spring in your step, quite literally, is also the fancy desserts season. It is that time of the year when you mop up your plates from scrumptious three-course meals and Christmas desserts made with different winter fruits, like apples, strawberries and cherries. Juicy, tart and sweet, cherries are delicious on their own. But wait till you incorporate it into your desserts to discover the true potential of this fruit. For one, there is the iconic black forest gateau, which has been around for a little more than a century now. Originating in Germany in 1915, the cake became one of the most popular in the country by 1949.
Beyond Black Forest cake, though, there is a world of cherry desserts waiting to be unlocked. Here are some off-the-kilter recipes with cherries.
Cherry Almond Crisp
This is one of those sweet and tangy cherry desserts that are ideal for breezy spring evenings.
Ingredients:
- 251 gm cherries
- 152 gm sugar
- 103 gm flour
- 54 gm almonds
- 55 gm oats
- 104 gm butter
Method:
- For the first step, you have to preheat the oven to 180°C.
- In the meanwhile, you need to combine sugar and cherries together, and transfer them to a baking tray that has already been greased.
- You need to take another bowl, and in it, you have to add almonds, oats and flour and give everything a good mix.
- After this, you need to add butter to the almond mixture and stir everything with a spoon until you get crumbs.
- Then, redirect your attention to the baking tray where you had added the cherry mixture, and coat all the cherries with the crumbs.
- Next, wait for 40 to 45 minutes for the crisps to bake.
Since cinnamon marries well with all sorts of winter fruits, you can also add a dash of cinnamon powder for that extra warmth and kick.
Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
- 253 gm butter
- 152 gm sugar
- 101 gm brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 254 gm flour
- 105 gm cherries
- 101 gm chocolate chips
Method:
- For the first step, you need to let your oven heat to 180°C.
- On the side, you have to mix sugar and butter together.
- In another bowl, you need to take care to carefully combine cherries, chocolate chips, and flour.
- After this, you need to add in the mixture of sugar and butter to the flour mixture, and follow up with eggs, and give everything a proper mix until all the ingredients are combined together.
- Then, you have to transfer this onto a baking tray, and allow everything to bake for 13 to 15 minutes.
If you add a little bit of sea salt, you will be able to bring out the flavor of the chocolate even more.
Cherry Vanilla Panna Cotta
Ingredients:
- 254 gm cream
- 153 gm sugar
- 52 gm butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 102 gm cherries
- Fresh berries for garnish
- Honey
Method:
- For this recipe, you need to mix together sugar, cream and butter using a hand whisk.
- Next, you need to pour some vanilla extract into the creamy mixture, and give everything a good stir.
- After that, you can pour this beautiful batter into small bowls, and then prop them into the refrigerator overnight.
- To make the cherry compote, combine sugar, water, cherries and a dash of lemon juice in a saucepan and simmer it in low to medium, stirring occasionally. Let it simmer till the cherries completely disintegrate into the liquid, and the mixture thickens.
- Once completely set, garnish your panna cotta with the cherry compote as well as fresh berries and add a dollop of honey.
Adding some confectioners' sugar in the end can also help accentuate the flavors of this dish.
Cherry Cake
Ingredients:
- 253 gm butter
- 154 gm sugar
- 105 gm brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 252 gm flour
- 103 gm cherries
Method:
- For the cake, you have to first let the oven preheat to 180°C.
- After that, you need to mix together sugar and butter and add in eggs while stirring continuously.
- Next, you have to mix the cherries and flour with the mixture of eggs, sugar and butter, and store everything until all the ingredients are combined.
- Then, you need to transfer this batter into a baking tray, and add brown sugar as the coating.
- As the last step, you need to wait for 40 to 45 minutes while the cake bakes.
- Before serving, you can top the slices with some heavy cream. This will complement the sweet and tangy flavor profile of the fruit.