Cherries Galore

[goldilox]

Thanks Vivienz -think I'll use Armagnac as it's more readily available here.
Used to have a recipe for rumtopf years ago, only tried it once but I must have done something wrong as it all went mouldy Anyway, don't have that much fruit yet (apart from figs from August to October ) as my trees are all less than 5 years old.

Johnboy : wasnn't ignoring you - quite agree, if they were my cherry trees I'd probably be there still with very sticky hands But there's only so far you can push friendship!

[PLUMPUDDING]

Cherry clafoutis:

(also good with plums)

50g flour
3 eggs
100g sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
pinch salt
250ml milk
450g sweet cherries stoned or not as you wish
icing sugar
Creme fraiche to serve

Preheat the oven to 190C
Butter and flour an ovenproof dish (about 23cm)
Whisk the eggs in a large mixing bowl, add the sugar, vanilla and salt and then sift in the flour.
When the mixture is quite smooth mix in the milk.
Pour about 1cm of batter into the ovenproof dish, cover with the cherries and pour over the remaining batter.

Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for about 40 minutes until it is puffed and golden-brown.

Remove the clafoutis from the oven and allow it to cool a little.
Sprinkle with icing sugar. Serve it warm with creme fraiche.

This is another recipe from Sarah Raven's 'Garden Cookbook'.

There is also a lovely recipe for cherry tart made with orange pastry, frangipane and topped with cherries.

[PLUMPUDDING]

I spent an hour and a half balancing on top of the ladder at the weekend trying to get the bird net over the cherry tree. I'm covered in scratches and bruises, but have managed it, so hopefully will get a good share of the fruit this year.

Can't wait to try the cherries in Armagnac.

[goldilox]

My friends didn't give me another bag of cherries . . . they gave me a great big box
Have just finished processing the lot - made cherry crumble, cherry conserve, 2 large jars of cherries in armagnac based on the recipe above, and 17 jars of cherries in armagnac (heat processed).
Prepared the whole lot with a hand-stoner - never want to see another cherry again, took me hours

The clafoutis above sounds lovely - will try that when the wild plums are ready. We have some trees nearby with small black plums, which I thought were wild damsons, but a friend said they're too sweet. Anyway I'll have a go with those.
Thanks again everyone,
Chris

[PLUMPUDDING]

I'm in the middle of a cherry mountain and am trying the suggestions here, but have never frozen cherries. How do they come out, do they keep their colour, and do they go soggy or keep their shape?

I don't want to freeze lots if they would be better used for jam, wine, in brandy etc.

[Beryl]

I have frozen stoned sweet cherries. They do keep their colour but need using on the same day you defrost or as soon as possible. They darken the longer you keep them defrosted.
Worth doing if you have a glut.
Beryl.