Cherry Compote

2 pounds (1kg) fresh cherries
1/4 cup (50g) sugar
1/3 cup (40g) dried sour cherries, optional
2 teaspoons kirsch, or another fruit-based liqueur, optional
1-2 drops pure almond extract
 
Stem and pit the cherries. Put them in a large, nonreactive pot or saucepan and stir in sugar. Turn the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, lifting the lid and stirring them frequently, to encourage juicing and to make sure the liquid the cherries exude doesn’t foam up and overflow.
 
After 10 minutes of cooking, add the sour cherries, if using, and cook for 5 to 10 more minutes, until the cherries are wilted and completely cooked through.
 
Remove from heat and stir in the kirsch and almond extract. Let cool before storing or serving. The juices will thicken as the compote sits.
 
Notes:
Be sure to use a larger pot that you think. For 2 pounds (1kg) of cherries, I used a 6-quart (6l) pan. Since the cherry juices will foam up as they cook, using a larger pot – and removing the lid from time-to-time – will keep your from having to clean up a sticky mess. I’ve didn’t use much sugar here, so you can add more to taste, if your cherries aren’t as sweet as mine were. If you can get sour cherries, feel free to add some in place of the sweet cherries. If so, you may need to increase the sugar a little, to taste as well.
 
The cherry compote can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It can be frozen for up to one year.

From DavidLebovitz.com

Fresh Cherry Crostata

Tart Dough:
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1/4 pound) chilled unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
2 tablespoons ice water, or more if needed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Filling:
4 cups pitted fresh cherries (don't pit more than an hour or two before baking)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon heavy cream for egg wash
2 teaspoons coarse sugar

Make the tart dough:

Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse to blend. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Stir together the ice water and vanilla and sprinkle it over the flour mixture. Pulse just until a dough forms, adding a little extra ice water if necessary. Shape the dough into a 1-inch-thick round. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Put a pizza stone in the oven and heat the oven to 425 F for 45 minutes. 

Remove the dough from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before rolling to soften it slightly.

Place the dough round between two sheets of parchment paper and roll into a 13-inch round, flouring the round lightly as needed to keep the dough from sticking. Remove the top sheet of the parchment. Slide a pizza peel or rimless baking sheet under the bottom sheet of parchment.

Make the filling:

Combine the cherries, sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a bowl and toss well. Fill the center of the dough round with the cherries in an even layer, leaving a border of about 1 1/2 inches. Fold the border up and over the cherries to make a rim. Brush the rim with egg wash, then sprinkle with coarse sugar. Trim excess parchment with scissors.

Use the pizza peel or baking sheet to transfer the crostata, still with the parchment underneath, to the heated stone. Bake until the crust is nicely browned and the cherries are bubbling, about 40 minutes.  Remove from the oven with the peel or baking sheet and let cool on a rack for 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

Serves 8.

From Casual Cooking by Michael Chiarello

Cherry Custard Tart

1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups pitted fresh cherries
2 eggs
2 cups half-and-half or whole milk

11-inch tart pan with removable bottom, or regular round tart pan

Heat oven to 375 F.

Cream the butter and sugar.  Sift together the flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder.  Add to the butter and sugar mixture and mix briefly.  The mixture should be crumbly but moist enough to hold together when pressed.  Set aside 1/4 cup and press remaining dough into a tart pan, making sure the sides are strong and even.

Add cherries, spreading evenly over the bottom.  Sprinkle on the reserved 1/4 cup of dough mixture.  Place tart pan on a baking sheet and slide into the oven.  Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a bowl, then add the half-and-half and whisk until combined.  After 15 minutes, open the oven door and pull the baking sheet half way out of the oven.  Carefully and quickly, pour the custard mixture over the tart and carefully push the baking sheet back in, then close the oven door.  Bake another 25 minutes, until the crust is deep gold and the custard is set and beginning to brown.

Remove tart from oven and let cool slightly.  Remove the tart ring if using a pan with a removable bottom.  Let cool completely before sliding tart off the bottom of the pan.  Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

 From TheKitchn

Roasted Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream with Chocolate

Roasted Cherries:

12 ounces sweet cherries

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Vanilla Ice Cream Base:

1 1/4 cups half-and-half (or substitute whole milk)

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped (or substitute 1-2 tablespoons vanilla extract)

1/2 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

4 large egg yolks

1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (1 scant cup)

Make the roasted cherries:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 450º F.  Spread the cherries in a single layer in a small, rimmed baking dish or pan.  Sprinkle with the sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.  Roast the cherries in the oven, giving the pan a shuffle every 5 minutes, until they are oozing juice and beginning to collapse, about 15 minutes.  Watch them closely so that the juices don't burn.  Remove from the oven and let cool.

When the cherries are cool enough to handle, pit them, making sure to save all the juice.  Chop the cherries coarsely, into roughly quarters or eighths.  Combine the chopped cherries, their juice, and the remaining teaspoon of vanilla extract in a jar, and chill.

Make the vanilla ice cream base:

In a medium saucepan, warm the half-and-half with the vanilla bean pod and scrapings over medium heat, until it steams and small bubbles form on the bottom of the pan, swirling occasionally.  Remove from the heat, cover the pot, and let steep for 30-60 minutes.

Add the sugar and salt, and re-warm the half-and-half until steamy hot, swirling to dissolve the sugar.  Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl, and set the bowl on a damp towel.  Place the heavy cream in a heatproof medium bowl and set a fine mesh strainer over the top.

Whisking constantly, dribble the hot half-and-half mixture into the egg yolks.  Pour the mixture back into the pot and set it over a low flame.  Stir the custard constantly with a heat-proof silicone spatula or wooden spoon, scraping the bottom and corners of the pot well, until the custard thickens slightly and/or registers 170º F on an instant-read thermometer.  This will only take a few minutes.  Immediately strain the custard into the cold cream.  Return the vanilla pod to the custard, and chill until very cold, at least 4 hours and preferably overnight, or up to 2 days.

Churn the ice cream:

Remove the vanilla pod.  Place the ice cream base in the freezer for 30 minutes to get it really cold, stirring once halfway through.  Place the cherries in the freezer, too, along with a 9x5 metal loaf pan, or a vessel of equal size that will hold your finished ice cream.

Meanwhile, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl, and set the bowl over a pot of steaming, not simmering, water, stirring occasionally until it is completely melted.  Keep the chocolate warm.  Churn the ice cream base in your ice cream maker until frozen.  Gently swirl in the chilled cherries and their liquid.  Do this by hand, with a spoon, so that the ice cream retains a marbled look of burgundy streaks on white, rather than becoming uniformly pink.

Finish the ice cream:

Make sure your chocolate is warm and runny, but not hot.  Working quickly to minimize ice cream meltage, spread about one quarter of the ice cream into the pan.  Use a teaspoon to drizzle thin ribbons of about one quarter of the chocolate over the ice cream.  Repeat with another layer of ice cream, then chocolate.  Continue until you've used up all the ice cream, ending with a final layer of chocolate drizzle.

Place the ice cream in the freezer to harden; this will take about 4 hours or overnight. Once hardened, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container. 

From The Bojon Gourmet blog

Plum Vanilla Crumble Bars

First, make the crumble topping, then the shortbread. While the shortbread is baking, make the plum filling. Assemble and bake together.

Crumble topping:

1/2 cup dark or light brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup oatmeal

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold butter

Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  Cut butter into cubes then, using a pastry cutter, cut into dry mixture until pea-sized mixture is formed (should be crumbly-looking).  Place in fridge until ready to use.

Shortbread crust:

1 3/4 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks of butter (3/4 cup)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 325° F.

Combine flour and salt in a small bowl; set aside.

Cream butter and both sugars together. Add vanilla and mix, then slowly incorporate flour mixture until combined.

Press into a greased 8 x 8 baking dish (lining the pan with parchment paper can make it easier to remove bars).  Press shortbread dough into the pan, spreading evenly.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Plum filling: 

5-6 cups plums, pitted and sliced (or cherries, blueberries, etc)

1 cup water

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract

Add plums and water to wide pan and heat through, then add sugar and vanilla paste,  Cook over medium heat until fruit begins to break down, about 30 minutes.

Let mixture cool a bit, then transfer to food processor and give it a whirl.  Put the mixture back in the pan and continue to cook until a thick paste forms, making sure to stir constantly; it will burn if you don't stir!

When you can scrape your spoon through the mixture and you see a trail, you’re almost done. This should take about 15 minutes. (Make sure you really cook this down enough. If you don’t, the filling will be too runny and not hold the bar shape. You have to get all the water out of the fruit.) Once you see a thick paste form, remove from heat; spread over shortbread and sprinkle crumble topping onto the fruit filling layer.

Bake at 325° F for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the topping begins to brown.  Remove from oven and let cool. Cut into bars to serve. Store in fridge to keep filling firm.

From HouseofBrinson.com, with minor changes