My husband once tried to make Cherry Brandy. He was sure you just put cherries in a jar with brandy and let them ferment? He did this with several jars and put them into the fridge.
When I asked him when they would be ready he said he would just know! We moved twice and took the cherry brandy mix with us, the second time to Spain, but still he said it wasn’t ready. Finally some 3 years later he announced now was the time to try the Brandy but when we opened the jar……….. Well let’s just say it was undrinkable. Luckily I found a very good recipe (below) which didn’t include brandy or a fridge!
Buen Apetito
Cherry Brandy
1kg cherries
1litre vodka
300gm sugar
Sterilised jars
Rinse the cherries well, cut off the stalks leaving 1cm still on the cherry, (that way the brandy will keep longer as the cherries stay nice and firm). Layer the cherries with the sugar, pour over the alcohol and close the jar. Put jars in a dark place at room temperature and shake every day for a week. Forget about the cherries until Christmas!
Cherry Pie
450gm fresh cherries
2 eggs
225ml evaporated milk
225g caster sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground nutmeg
50gm raisins
Pastry Case (short crust pastry is best but any of your choice)
Stone the cherries. Place between 2 deep plates over a pan of boiling water. Steam for 15-20 minutes until soft and allow to cool. Separate the eggs and whisk the egg whites until forming peaks. In another bowl lightly whip the egg yolks with the cherries, evaporated milk, sugar and spices until smooth. Stir in raisins and fold in egg whites until smooth. Spoon the mixture in a pastry case and bake for 50 minutes in oven 190ºC/Gas 5.
Cherry Chutney
450gm fresh cherry (canned or frozen can be used)
½ cup balsamic vinegar
½ cup sugar
1 tsp nutmeg powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp cumin powder
Cook cherries, vinegar and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to the boil. Add nutmeg, cinnamon, cumin and pepper. Simmer and keep stirring occasionally until mixture is a thick consistency.
Cherry Scones
60g butter or margarine
240g self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tblsp caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
100ml semi-skimmed milk
100g glace cherries
Pre heat oven to 230ºC/Gas 8. Place flour and baking powder in a mixing bowl and rub in butter. Next stir in the sugar, then blend in the egg, glacé cherries and milk to form a soft dough. Then turn mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently. Roll out to about 1cm (1/2 in) thick and cut into 5cm (2 in) rounds. Place on a greased baking tray and bake in centre of oven for about 8-10 minutes.
Cherry Cake
225gm caster sugar
225gm butter
2 eggs
115ml orange juice
225gm plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
330gm sultanas
225gm halved glace cherries
Preheat oven to 150ºC. Grease a 23cm x 13cm (9 x 5 inch) loaf tin and line with greaseproof paper. Cream butter or margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add beaten eggs and orange juice and mix well. Sift flour and baking powder. Reserve 75gm of flour mixture and toss with sultanas and cherries (this will keep them from sinking to the bottom of the cake). Add the rest to the mixture and blend. Then add floured raisins and cherries to dough and mix until just combined. Pour mixture into prepared tin. Bake in preheated oven for 2 1/2 hours. It’ll taste best if you don’t serve until several days old. Wrap the cake in cling film or foil and store in a biscuit tin.