These cherries were brandied for my black forest cake. The only complaint I got for the cake was there should have been more brandied cherries in it. There were plenty, but I guess the cherries were a hit. So it got me thinking to include brandied cherries in my recipes. Not to be confused with Hungarian rum cherries, these take a short time to make, plus they don’t last as long as rum cherries. The difference is not in the choice of spirit, it is in the preparation. Brandied cherries develop within a day or two and after that they start to mellow. Brandied cherries are best if made from fresh fruit, but canned and dry fruit can also be brandied. I brandied a few dried cherries just to see how they would turn out; they were enjoyable, though not as picturesque as the fresh ones.
BRANDIED CHERRIES
1-1/2 cups pitted cherries
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup Kirsch, cherry brandy or rum
• Wash and pit the cherries. A cherry pitter is useful.
• Place the cherries in a lidded heat proof container and set aside.
• Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan.
• Bring to the boil and reduce to 1/4 cup.
• Remove from heat and stir in the choice of liqueur.
• Pour the syrup over the cherries and cover.
• Let the cherries stand in the brandied syrup for 10 hours or overnight. The cherries will let out some of their juice, so the syrup will triple in volume.
