Aug 17 2010

Summer Fruit Affair

I've been having a love affair with cherries this summer.  It's okay; Justin knows.

When he gets home from work, I'm usually at my computer, the cherry pits in a bowl, the evidence out for all to see.

Though it's just a summer romance, I didn't want to get in a rut with this special fruit.  Last night, I gave them the star treatment.  Instead of simply eating them, I poached the cherries in sherry and served them with my favorite vanilla ice cream, Van Leeuwen, and my favorite chocolate, Mast Brothers.

It made for a decadent dessert.  The chocolate sauce contained the entire bar of 81% Venezuelan dark chocolate!  I also poached the cherries with more sherry than the recipe recommended...because I could.

Last night was fun, but today it's back to normal and predictable, a bowl of cherry pits at my side.

Vanilla Ice Cream with Poached Cherries and Chocolate Sauce

Recipe Adapted from My Favorite Ingredients

Poached Cherries:

1 lb of cherries

1 cup sugar

juice of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon sherry

Chocolate Sauce:

4 1/2 ounces dark chocolate

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon of honey

  1. Poached Cherries:  Remove the cherry stems and place in a pan with the sugar and lemon juice.  Bring to a simmer and then cover and poach gently for 10 minutes, until the cherries have released a lot of liquid.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cherries to a bowl.  Add the sherry to the pan and boil for 2 minutes.  Pour over the fruit and let cool while you make the sauce.
  2. Chocolate Sauce: Combine all of the ingredients in a pan and heat gently, stirring until smooth.  Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
  3. Alternate layering the vanilla ice cream, poached cherries, and chocolate sauce in a bowl.  Top with a few fresh cherries.