Cherries!

It's cherry season here in Southern Ontario,

so, over the past weekend, 

in honour of the delicious, sweet cherry,

I made Cherry Chutney...

Cherry Chutney

1/2 c dried cherries

1lb pitted fresh cherries

3/4 c brown sugar

1 Granny Smith Apple cored, peeled, chopped

1/2 c chopped onion

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/4 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1  Combine all ingredients.

2   Bring to a boil over med/high heat.

3   Reduce to med/low, cook 45-50 minutes, until thickened.

4   Cool 1 hour.

Serve over warm cheese, or with a hearty pate.

and cherry-chocolate brownies...

with cherry-chocolate sauce...

and chocolate-dipped cherries

Cherry-Chocolate Brownies with Cherry-Chocolate Sauce and Chocolate -dipped Cherries

Brownies

3 oz chocolate , bittersweet (

not unsweetened) or semi-sweet

5 tbsp unsalted butter

3/4 c sugar

2 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 c all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 c dried cherries

1/3 c chocolate chips

1/4 c cherry preserves

powdered sugar

1 Heat oven to 350.

2 Butter 11 x 7 metal baking pan.

3 Stir chocolate and butter in heavy saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth.  Remove from heat.

4 Whisk sugar, eggs and vanilla until blended.

5 Whisk in chocolate mixture.

6 Sift in flour, baking powder and salt.  Stir to blend.

7 Mix in dried cherries, chocolate chips, then preserves.

8 Spread batter in prepared pan.

9 Bake until tester comes out with some moist crumb attached, about 35 mins.

10 Cool completely.

Sauce

1/3 c cherry preserves

3/4 c whipping cream

8 oz chocolate 

bittersweet (

not unsweetened) or semi-sweet

1 Put preserves in heavy saucepan over medium heat.

2 Add cream and bring to a simmer.  Remove from heat.

3 Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth.

(Can be made 2 days ahead.  cover and chill.  Re-warm before serving.)

Chocolate-dipped Cherries

6 oz chocolate 

bittersweet (

not unsweetened) or semi-sweet

24 lg fresh cherries, stem attached

1 Line baking sheet with waxed paper

2 Place chocolate in top of double boiler over barely simmering water.

3 Stir until melted and smooth.

4 Remove chocolate from heat.

5 Holding cherry stem, dip cherry halfway into chocolate.  Place on sheet

6 Chill until chocolate is firm.

(Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled)

Presentation

Cut brownies in pan into squares.

Cut a square diagonally to form two triangles.

Put some warmed sauce on a plate and centre brownie triangles in sauce.

Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with chocolate-dipped cherries.

We have been in cherry-heaven!