Cherry Season

The cherry season is coming to an end. Now is the time to make some cherry preserves before they disappear from the shops. I make pickled cherries and brandied cherries. The recipes are basically the same with one using vinegar and the other brandy.

The pickled cherries are great with  meats such as roast duck and pork or with ham. They store well in the cupboard and keep for a long time, although, I have not had any left for longer than a year. This is the technique that I have used for years and is more a guide than something to be followed exactly.

Pickled Cherries
1 kg cherries, washed and stalks trimmed,
500 grams sugar
3 cups white vinegar
2 cinnamon sticks
10 allspice berries
a few whole cloves if you like them

Make  the pickle by boiling the vinegar, sugar and spices in a large saucepan, stir until sugar has dissolved and then simmer for a few minutes.
Add cherries and simmer very gently for five minutes, remove from heat and allow until mixture is warm but not hot. Remove cinnamon sticks.
Spoon cherries into sterilised jars, pour pickle over cherries and seal jars. It is important that the cherries be fully immersed in the pickle.

The brandied cherries are great with icecream, panna cotta or thick cream. I store them in the fridge and they would probably last a long time if I could resist the urge to eat them.

Brandied Cherries
1 kg cherries, washed and stalks trimmed. You may like to pit them but I never bother.
500 grams sugar
3 cups brandy
Make  the syrup by boiling the brandy and sugar  in a large saucepan, stir until sugar has dissolved and then simmer for a few minutes.
Add cherries and simmer very gently for five minutes, remove from heat and allow until mixture is warm but not hot.
Spoon cherries into sterilised jars, pour syrup over cherries and seal jars. It is important that the cherries be fully immersed in the syrup and store in the fridge

Brandied Cherries with Marsala Panna Cotta











My go to recipe for panna cotta. I also make a version that uses Boronia Marsala instead of the milk which is my favourite with the cherries. I do not add the Marsala until after the gelatine to avoid curdling the cream mixture

Panna Cotta

Ingredients

Yield 6 x 100ml portions 10 g leaf gelatine 100 ml milk 500 ml cream 100 g caster sugar 1 vanilla pods, split (or add 1 tsp vanilla concentrate at end)

Yield 24 x 100ml portions 40 g leaf gelatine 400 ml milk 2 litres cream 400 g caster sugar 4 vanilla pods, split (or add 1 Tbs vanilla concentrate at end)

Method

Soak the gelatine sheets in a bowl of cold water for 5 -10 or until soft.

Put milk, cream, sugar and vanilla pod into a saucepan and bring to the boil, stir to make sure that the sugar has dissolved and remove from heat. Remove vanilla pods and scrape seeds into mixture if desired.   

Drain the gelatine sheets and add to the hot cream mixture.  Stir to ensure that the gelatine dissolves.  Add vanilla concentrate if using.  Strain mixture.  Do not strain if you want the vanilla flecks.

Rinse out moulds with cold water and then pour the mixture into wet moulds. 

Refrigerate and allow panna cottas to set for at least 4 hours

To serve, dip the base of each mould briefly in warm water and turn out onto cold serving plates.

Variations

Coffee: Add 1 Tbs instant coffee with the cream and bring to boil. Make sure all coffee is dissolved.

Note 1:  Straining the cream mixture assists in a smooth texture if you are using vanilla pods and you wish to see the flecks of vanilla it is best to scrape the pods after the straining stage.

Note 2:  This recipe can be made using cream only and with light cream.  This is useful if you are looking to reduce the fat content of the recipe although the finished panna cottas are not as rich and creamy