Sour Cherry Charlotte Recipes

SOUR CHERRY CRUMB CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking dish, and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
• Make the topping: Stir together butter, flour, sugars, salt, and cinnamon.
• Make the cakes: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. With a mixer, cream butter and granulated sugar in another bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Working in alternating batches, add flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat until just combined. Pour into prepared dish, and smooth with an offset spatula. Dot top with cherries, and sprinkle with crumb topping.
• Bake until golden and a tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool before cutting.

SOUR CHERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• Put cherries, sugar, and vinegar into a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until cherries have burst and mixture begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Serve warm.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CHARLOTTES

Steps:

• Bring cherries, kirsch, and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 15 minutes. Stir in almond extract.
• Heat cream, chocolate, and a pinch of salt in another small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring, until chocolate is melted and smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1 tablespoon butter, stirring until incorporated, then stir in cooked cherries with any liquid.
• Transfer filling to a metal bowl and freeze, stirring occasionally, until firm but not frozen solid, about 2 1/2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cut out 12 rounds from bread slices with cookie cutter, then cut 42 (2- by 1 1/2-inch) rectangles from trimmings and remaining slices. Spread 1 side of each round and rectangle with some of remaining butter. Put 6 rounds, buttered sides down, in molds and line sides with rectangles (5 to 7 per mold), buttered sides against mold, arranging them vertically and slightly overlapping, pressing gently to adhere. Trim any overhang flush with rims.
• Divide filling among molds and top with 6 remaining bread rounds, buttered sides up, pressing gently to fit inside bread rim.
• Bake charlottes in molds on a baking sheet in middle of oven until bread is golden, about 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes, then invert plates over charlottes and invert charlottes onto plates. Serve warm.
• Available at Broadway Panhandler (866-266-5927 or 212-966-3434).

SOUR CHERRY CHARLOTTES

Steps:

• Toss together cherries, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Set aside; let cherries thaw slightly, about 35 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Using a pastry brush, generously brush one side of each slice of bread with the butter. Reserve 6 slices; cut remaining slices in half to form 36 rectangles. Line sides and bottom of each cup of a jumbo (6-cup) muffin tin with 6 rectangles, overlapping bread and placing buttered side against tin.
• Toss cherry mixture to combine. Spoon into bread-lined cups. Top each with a reserved bread square, buttered side down; press firmly onto cherries.
• Bake charlottes until tops and sides are golden and crisp, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer tin to a wire rack; let stand until charlottes have cooled slightly and are just firm, 15 to 20 minutes. Using an offset spatula or knife, loosen sides of charlottes from tin, and unmold; invert onto serving plates. Serve warm, with warm sour cherry compote on the side.
• Put cherries, sugar, and vinegar into a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until cherries have burst and mixture begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Serve warm.