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Nanking Cherry Recipes

Blossoms:  late April to mid May
Ripens:  August to September

Equivalents: one pound = 80 cherries = 3 cups sliced

Le Clafouti

5 tablespoons fine, dry whole wheat bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 - 3 cups pitted sweet cherries
3 eggs
5 tablespoons sifted whole wheat pastry flour
2 cups milk or light cream
1/4 cup light honey

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Grease 11- to 12-inch shallow round baking dish or pie pan with butter or oil.  Mix bread crumbs with cardamom and dust inside the baking dish with mixture.  Spread fruit over bottom of dish.

Beat eggs in mixer.  Add flour and mix well.  Add milk or cream and beat 3 minutes.  Add honey and beat 2 minutes.  Pour this mixture over fruit in baking dish.  Bake 40 - 45 minutes, until top is lightly browned and puffy.  Let clafouti cool to room temperature or chill it.  Top will deflate.  To serve, cut in wedges.  Top each with whipped cream, if desired.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Fresh Sweet Cherry Pie

2-crust pie crust, unbaked

Filling:
2 cups pitted sweet cherries
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice.  Fill pastry with cherry mixture.  Cover with top crust, fold overhang over top edge, press to seal, and flute edges.  Wit a fork or knife, make vent holes in the top crust.  Place on middle rack of oven and bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, until the fruit is bubbling and the crust is golden brown.  Allow to cool at least 30 minutes before cutting.

Cherry Sauce

Use this sauce with blintzes, over a slice of pound cake, or as an ice cream topping.

2 cups pitted sweet cherries
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
Pinch salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon kirsch

Put cherries in a saucepan with sugar and water and simmer for 4 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, remove cherries and set aside.  Bring the syrup to a boil, dissolve cornstarch in water, and stir into boiling juice, stirring as it thickens.

Add the salt, lemon juice, lemon rind and kirsch and cook, stirring occasionally for 7 minutes.  Return cherries to syrup and cook for three minutes.  Store in a sterile jar up to two weeks in refrigerator.  Makes 2 cups.

Brandied Sweet Cherries

2 pounds pitted sweet cherries
2 cups sugar
brandy

Combine cherries and sugar.  Let stand for 2 hours.  Cover; cook over low heat 25 minutes; stir often.  Remove cherries from syrup.  Bring syrup to a boil; boil, uncovered, 10 minutes.  Measure syrup; add 1/3 cup brandy for each cup syrup.

In kettle combine syrup and cherries.  Bring to boiling.  Spoon into hot, sterilized jars leaving 1/2 inch head space.  Wipe rims, adjust lids.  Process in boiling water bath for 30 minutes (start timing when water boils).  Store at least 2 months before serving.  Makes 4 to 5 half pints.

Pickled Sweet Cherries

4 pounds pitted sweet cherries
2 cups sugar
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup water

In kettle, combine all ingredients.  Boil for 10 minutes.  Spoon into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/2-inch head space.  Wipe rims and adjust lids.  Process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.  Makes 11 half-pints.

Sweet Cherry Bombe

2 cups pitted sweet cherries, finely chopped
1 14-ounce can (1 1/4 cups) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
few drops almond extract
1 cup whipping cream
few drops red food coloring (optional)
1 pint chocolate-nut ice cream

Combine cherries, condensed milk, vanilla and almond extract.  Pour into an 8x8x2-inch pan and freeze until firm.  Chill a 5-cup mold in freezer.  Break up cherry mixture into chilled small mixer bowl;  beat until fluffy.

Whip cream just until soft peaks form; fold into cherry mixture.  If desired, stir in food coloring.  Remove  one cup cherry mixture; cover and freeze.  Turn remaining cherry mixture into mold; freeze slightly.  Quickly spread over bottom and up sides in mold, leaving center hollow.  If mixture slips, refreeze till workable.  Stir chocolate-nut ice cream just to soften; spoon into center of mold, smoothing top.  Spread reserved cherry mixture over top.

Cover and freeze for 6 hours or overnight.  Invert mold onto chilled plate.  Rub mold with hot damp towel; lift off mold.  Let stand at room temperature 5 - 10 minutes. Serve.  Makes 8 servings.

Cherry Pudding

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk
pinch of salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla or 1 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups cherries, pitted
cinnamon
heavy cream (optional)

Combine eggs and sugar until they are light and fluffy.  Add the butter and blend it with eggs and sugar; then add the flour, a little at a time until mixture is blended.  Add milk, salt and extract and blend again.

In a well-buttered 8- or 9-inch baking dish, arrange the cherries and sprinkle them with cinnamon.  Pour the batter over the fruit and bake the pudding at 350 degrees F for 1 1/2 hours.  Serve it warm, with cream if desired.  Makes 6 servings.

Cherry Dessert Cake

2 cups pitted Nanking cherries
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cake mix (yellow or chocolate)

In medium sauce pan combine cherries and 3/4 cup water.  Bring to a boil.  Lower heat and simmer 2 minutes.  Add  sugar, butter, lemon juice.  Mix cornstarch in 1/4 cup cold water and add slowly, stirring constantly until mix thickens.  Pour into a 9x9x2-inch baking dish.

Prepare cake mix as directed on package for high altitude.  Spoon over cherry mixture and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes.  Serve warm with whipped cream.