Cherries
Cherries are small stone fruit that range from deeply sweet dessert varieties to bright, tart pie cherries, enjoyed fresh, baked into desserts, or preserved in jams and syrups.
How to buy
Choose cherries that are firm, plump, and glossy with fresh-looking green stems still attached -- a shriveled or brown stem signals age. Deep, even color is a good sign for sweet varieties like Bing, while tart (sour) cherries like Montmorency are naturally brighter red and are almost always sold frozen, canned, or dried rather than fresh, since they're rarely grown for the fresh market. Avoid any that feel soft, sticky, or bruised.
How to store
Refrigerate cherries unwashed in a breathable bag or container, where sweet cherries keep for about a week. Wash just before eating. Pitting before freezing makes them far more convenient later -- frozen cherries work well in baking, smoothies, and sauces without thawing first. Dried and canned tart cherries keep for months in a sealed container or their liquid.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Sweet cherries like Bing and Rainier are deeply sugary with a mild tartness, while sour cherries like Montmorency are tangy and bright, rarely eaten raw but excellent cooked with sugar. Cooking concentrates the sweetness of either type and deepens the color into a rich, jammy flavor.
- Texture
- Firm and juicy with a notable bite when fresh, softening considerably once cooked into a jammy, saucy consistency. The pit must be removed before most cooked preparations, either by hand or with a cherry pitter.
- Aroma
- A sweet, slightly almond-like fragrance (from trace compounds related to the pit) that becomes richer and more pronounced once the fruit is cooked.
How to prepare
- Eaten fresh — Served whole as a snack, pit and all, typically removed by biting around it or spitting it out.
- Pitted and baked — Pitted and used whole or halved in pies, clafoutis, and other baked desserts.
- Cooked into compote — Simmered with sugar into a thick, saucy topping for desserts or breakfast.
- Candied or maraschino — Preserved in sugar syrup, often with food coloring, as a garnish for cocktails and desserts.
- Dried — Dehydrated into a chewy, intensely sweet-tart snack, often used in baking and trail mixes.
Classic dishes
American
- Cherry pie — A double-crust pie filled with sweetened, thickened sour cherries.
- Cherry preserves — Cherries cooked down with sugar into a classic spreadable jam.
- Cherry cheesecake — A creamy baked cheesecake topped with glossy cherry sauce.
- Maraschino cherry garnish — Candied cherries used as a classic garnish for cocktails and sundaes.
- Cherry cobbler — Sweetened cherries baked under a biscuit-like topping.
French
- Cherry clafoutis — A baked custard-like dessert studded with whole cherries, traditionally left unpitted.
- Duck with cherry sauce — Roasted duck served with a glossy sauce built on cooked cherries and their juices.
- Cherry galette — A rustic, free-form tart filled with sweetened, pitted cherries.
- Cherry and almond tart — Sweet cherries baked over almond frangipane in a tart shell.
German
- Black Forest cake — A chocolate layer cake filled with cherries and whipped cream, soaked in cherry brandy (Kirsch).
- Cherry strudel — Thin pastry rolled around sweetened cherries, baked until flaky and golden.
- Cherry sauce for pork — A sweet-tart cherry reduction served alongside roasted pork.
- Cherry brandy (Kirsch) — Cherries distilled into a clear fruit brandy, used in both drinking and baking.
- Kirschstreuselkuchen — A yeasted sheet cake topped with sour cherries and a buttery streusel crumble.
British & Irish
- Cherry chutney — Cherries simmered with vinegar, sugar, and spices into a tangy preserve served with cheese or meats.