Oh, is this ever good. Cherries jubilee was a popular dessert in the 1950s and 1960s, when flaming desserts were all the rage in gourmet circles. That went out of fashion with the rise of nouvelle cuisine, when tiny slices of exotic fruits, arranged on a plate with a few drizzles of sauce, became the “chic” dessert. But that didn’t change the fact that Cherries Jubilee is a gorgeous, impressive, pretty, and scrumptious fruit dessert.
So I urge you to try making Cherries Jubilee just once. It’s just a few ingredients, you can make it from things in your cupboard, it’s ridiculously easy, and it’s an incredibly happy eat! Serve this over the very best vanilla ice cream or vanilla sorbet you can find… or use these cherries as a filling for my Happy Crepes, with a little whipped cream or ice cream on top.
INGREDIENTS
1 can pitted dark cherries
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup cognac, Grand Marnier, amaretto, or kirsch
Drain the cherries over a bowl, so you capture all the juice they were packed in. In a 10-inch skillet, combine the sugar and the cornstarch, then add the cherry juice, mixing with a whisk. Place the liqueur in a small saucepan, and heat over a low flame until it warms up. Don’t boil it or reduce it – you just want it to be warm.
Now turn the heat on under the skillet, adjust it to medium, and cook the juice mizture, stirring constantly, for about 3-4 minutes, until it starts to thicken. Add the cherries, but don’t stir. Turn off the flame.
Now for “the business” – and yes, you can do this at the table if you want to impress your guests! Have a long handled metal spoor or ladle ready. Pour the warmed liqueur over the cherries. Touch a lit fireplace lighter to the sauce – it should ignite immediately, and burn with a blue flame. Grab the metal ladle and spoon the flaming sauce over the cherries. The flame will die down quickly as the alcohol burns off.
Now spoon the cherries over vanilla ice cream, vanilla sorbet, or on top of folded Happy Crepes, and divide any remaining sauce between the plates.
Serves 4-6.