Cherry Chocolate Beignets With Vanilla Stewed Cherries Recipes

DANISH CHERRIES

Steps:

• 1) Place cherries in a heavy medium-sized saucepan, and cook over medium heat, covered, for 10 minutes.
• 2) Meanwhile, combine cornstarch and sugar in a small bowl. Add lemon juice and whisk until smooth. Stir this into the hot cherries, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thick (5 to 8 minutes).
• 3) Remove from heat and stir in lemon rind, almond extract and slivered almonds. Serve hot, warm, room, temperature, or cold, top with whipped cream, whipped ricotta or yogurt.

CHERRY CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg, milk and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate and cherries. , Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto baking sheets lightly coated with cooking spray. Bake until firm, 12-14 minutes. Cool for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack.

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Bring cherries, sugar, and lemon juice to a simmer in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Cook until sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently. Remove 2 tablespoons of cherry juice from the pot and place in a small bowl. Stir in cornstarch until thoroughly combined. Add cornstarch mixture to the pot and simmer until thickened and slightly reduced, about 5 minutes more.
• Remove compote from heat and cool completely. Measure out 1 cup for the cupcake batter. Reserve remaining compote, about 6 tablespoons, for the frosting.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line or grease two standard 12-cup muffin tins.
• Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Beat brown sugar, butter, and white sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. Mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Pour in 1/2 of the sour cream and cooled coffee; mix until just combined.
• Continue alternating additions of the flour mixture with sour cream and coffee, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, until batter is smooth. Do not overmix. Gently fold in 1 cup cherry compote. Fill each prepared muffin cup 2/3 full of batter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the tops of the cupcakes spring back lightly when touched, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool in the tins for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Prepare cherry buttercream while the cupcakes are cooling. Beat butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and salt. Add 2 tablespoons of cherry compote and beat on medium-high speed until thoroughly combined. Repeat twice more with remaining cherry compote, beating well after each addition. Add heavy cream and beat until frosting is fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Spread or pipe frosting over the cooled cupcakes.

CHERRY VANILLA BLINTZES WITH NECTARINES AND CHERRIES, FLAMBEED IN SHLIVOVITZ

Steps:

• For the crepes: Put all of the ingredients except the butter into a food processor or blender and process until smooth, about 10 seconds. If necessary, scrape down any solids that stick to the sides. Add the butter and process for a few more seconds to blend. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours or overnight. Set a 10-inch, non-stick crepe pan over moderately high heat, then spray with non-stick vegetable spray. When nice and hot, remove the pan from the heat and add 2 tablespoons of batter, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes until lightly browned. Set aside on a plate, cooked side up, and continue with the remainder of the batter.
• For the filling: In a small saucepan, cover the cherries with water and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let rest. In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, vanilla, sugar, and egg until blended. Gently mix in the pot, farmer, or cottage cheese. Drain the cherries and mix them in.
• Place 2 tablespoons of filling in the lower center of the blintz. Fold up once from the bottom, and then fold over the sides. Roll up the rest of the way. Repeat with the rest. Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a pan. In small batches (4), fry the blintzes fold side down until golden brown. Gently flip to fry the other side. Serve with sour cream, and Nectarines and Cherries, Flambeed in Shlivoviz.
• In a bowl, whisk together the cherry juice and cornstarch. In a hot saute pan, melt the butter. Add the sugar, then the nectarines. Carefully pour in the shlivovitz. If it does not burst into flames spontaneously, ignite with a match. Gently swirl the pan and baste the nectarines until the flames die out. Add the cherry juice mixture and cook until bubbling for 10 seconds. Take the sauce off the heat; add the thawed and fresh cherries.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED CHERRIES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the sugar, butter, milk and extract. Knead until smooth and pliable. Shape into 1-in. balls and flatten each into a 2-in. circle. , Wrap one circle around each cherry and lightly roll in hands. Place with stems up on waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Cover loosely and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. , In a microwave, melt chocolate and shortening; stir until smooth. Holding on to the stems, dip cherries into chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper until set. Store in a covered container. Refrigerate 1-2 weeks before serving.

BAGUETTE STUFFED WITH BRIE AND CHERRIES

Steps:

• For the compote: In a small saucepan on medium-high heat, add the cherries, wine, salt, pepper and thyme and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat slightly to medium. Continue to cook at a rapid simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, 25 to 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and let cool, then remove the thyme sprigs.
• For the baguette: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Using a paring knife, cut a deep "v" on the top of the baguette. Pull out some of the soft bread to create a deep crevice. Place the Brie slices into the crevice, overlapping each slice. Transfer to a baking sheet.
• Bake until the cheese is melted and the bread is slightly toasted, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. Spoon the cherry compote over the melted Brie. Slice into thick slices, garnish with the remaining thyme sprig and serve.