Impress your friends...
Need a quick and easy dessert that will create a stir, then this easy cherry compote fits the bill, add a splash of Cointreau or brandy at the end, warm through then light with a long match, stand well back and wait for the applause.
Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 13 minutes
You will need:
- 1 lemon, pare rind from lemon with a vegetable peeler and squeeze juice
- 200 ml (7 fl oz) water, plus little extra
- 75 g (3 oz) caster sugar
- 400 g (14 oz) British cherries, stalks and stones removed
- 4 tablespoons Cointreau or brandy
- Scoops vanilla ice cream to serve
Method:
- Add the lemon rind, juice, water and sugar to a small frying pan and simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Boil for 3 minutes until syrupy.
- Add the cherries and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes until they are softened and the juices have coloured the syrup.
- Lift out and discard the lemon rind.
- Add the liqueur or brandy and bring just to the boil, flame with a lit match (use extra long ones so you don’t burn fingers) making sure to stand well back then take to the table.
- When the flames subside spoon into dishes and serve with scoops of ice cream.
Tip:
- Look out for a cherry stoner when you are next shopping, this handy gadget makes light work of pressing out the cherry stones, it is about the size and price of a garlic press, but once you have one, you will wonder how you ever managed without it!
About this post-
Recipe and photo credit by- Seasonal Berries
