Poached Cherries

Charlotte J's Note:

A French dessert recipe for poached cherries in vanilla and lemon syrup. Posted for Zaar World Tour 2006

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 3 cups water
• 1 vanilla bean
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 lemon, zest of , pared (no white pith)
• 1 tablespoon strained fresh lemon juice
• 1 ¼ lbs cherries , pitted

Directions:

1. Combine the water, sugar, vanilla bean, and lemon zest in a medium saucepan.
2. Place over low heat and stir until sugar dissolves.
3. Raise the heat to high and bring the syrup to a boil.
4. Stir in the fruit and the lemon juice.
5. Cover the fruit with a lid slightly smaller than the diameter of the saucepan.
6. This will keep the fruit submerged in the syrup.
7. Reduce the heat to low and cook about 8 minutes.
8. Allow the fruit to cool in the syrup, still covered, to room temperature.
9. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover and chill at least 30 minutes before serving.
10. To serve:.
11. May be served as is, garnished with whipped cream.
12. Or use as a garnish for cakes, filling for crepes or as an ice cream topping.

Reviews

[evelyn/athens]

Very nice, although the water can be reduced easily by half to make a thicker (and more flavourful) poaching liquid/syrup (the cherries also released their own liquid). I removed the cherries after the stated cooking period and reduced the liquid for another 6-7 minutes to make it more syrupy. Lovely served on vanilla ice cream.