Cherry recipes

 

The cherry is a fruit that comes in both sweet and sour varieties, both of which are used for culinary purposes, although the sweeter version is generally preferred for raw eating. The sour cherries are more acidic than their sweeter counterparts and are used frequently in cooking. The popular Belgian kriek lambic is a naturally-fermenting beer flavoured with sour cherries, while kirsch is a cherry brandy traditionally distilled with morello cherries. Cherry syrup is also used in cocktails, liqueurs and soft drinks as a wonderful sweet/tart flavour, but not all ‘cherry flavours’ are actually derived from the fruit.

 

Fresh, ripe cherries are best enjoyed in Britain during the prime of summer, but the dried variety are also great to have on hand year-round. The cherry has a beautiful, deep, rich flavour of varying tartness, depending on the cultivar and the individual fruit itself. 

 

The fruit goes well in desserts and in more savoury menu items. Duck and pork, in particular, do well with their heavier flavours offset by the sweetness and bite of cherries, particularly if the cherries have a bit of a boozy touch. Mark Jordan garnishes his Honey-roasted breast of duck with griottine cherries, while Nuno Mendes’ Pork secretos with artichokes and red wine tapioca recipe is adorned with kirsch-soaked cherries for a spectacular finish.

Cherries are frequently found at the end of a meal, either in cakes, puddings or pies. The Black Forest gâteau from Stephen Crane illustrates how well cherries work with chocolate to make a classic dessert cake. For something a little less rich, but still quite luxurious, Pascal Aussignac's Griotte cherry clafoutis is gorgeous as a dessert or for a French-inspired tea. Matthew Tomkinson's Cherries jubilee with vanilla and yoghurt panna cotta is another notable dessert, with the creamy vanilla yoghurt panna cotta providing a contrast to the sharp, sumptuous taste of the cooked cherries with, of course, cherry brandy.