The Cherry On Top

Cherries—the smallest member of the stone fruitfamily—are one of New Zealand’s favourite summerfruits.

Originally from the Eurasian countries between the Black and the Caspian Seas, the popularity of cherries saw them eagerly exported around the world and, as luck has it, the temperate climate and winter chill of Central Otago means we can grow the fruit right in our own backyard.

Cherries fit into two categories, sweet or tart. The sweet ones—firm and heart-shaped—are best eaten fresh, while tart cherries—bright red and round—are great for cooking and baking. Admittedly, pitting and chopping cherries can be laborious, but their juiciness and ornamental value topping a Christmas trifle, rescuing a drab fruit salad or completing a French clafouti makes it well worth the effort.

While cherries may be small, their nutritional contribution is anything but. Like most fruit, they provide a good dose of fibre, vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin C and potassium. But their claim to fame comes from the more unusual healthful benefits they offer and cherries’ most impressive health-promoting property is probably their ability to promote sleep.

If you have ever suffered insomnia and sought out a natural cure, you’ve likely come across tart cherry juice. Cherries—tart varieties in particular—are one of a few natural sources of melatonin, a hormone involved in regulating our sleep-wake cycles. You’d have to eat an awful lot of cherries to feel the effects, whereas a glass of tart cherry juice provides a more concentrated hit, working just as well as a melatonin supplement.

The next benefit will be welcome news to elite athletes and everyday exercisers: tart cherries play a significant role in muscle recovery. By consuming tart cherries before and after a strenuous workout, athletes experience quick recovery and less muscle damage. This is partly thanks to the cherry’s high antioxidant content, which helps protect cells and fight off inflammation, as well as its decent dose of the electrolyte potassium.

While these health benefits can be enjoyed by the masses, there is a particular group of people with a deep affection for cherries: gout sufferers. Gout is an inflammatory disease in the arthritis family where uric acid builds up in the blood, causing excruciating pain often in a toe, elbow or finger joint. For those with gout, cherries are a Godsend—they naturally reduce uric acid levels in the body, which makes them a delicious and side effect-free way to prevent gout flareups and relieve pain during an attack.

The New Zealand cherry season only lasts from mid-December to early February at a stretch, so they are a real blink-and-you-miss-it food group. Though they are a popular Christmas treat, January is the best time to indulge as the fruit will be at its sweetest, healthiest and cheapest. Whatever your fancy—cherry pie, cherry jam or popping them in your mouth straight from the fridge—make sure you get some sleep-promoting, muscle-protecting, goutfighting cherries in your diet this summer!

CHERRY RIPPLE ICE CREAM

This easy creamy ice cream rippled with cherry can be whipped up without the need for a fancy ice cream machine.

250g cherries

¼ cup sugar

1 cup cream

200g mascarpone

1 tin condensed milk

Halve and pit the cherries. Place in a small pot with the sugar and cook over a low heat until the cherries are soft. Allow to cool before pureeing.

In a bowl, whip the cream and mascarpone to the soft peak stage. Slowly add the condensed milk and continue to beat until you reach the stiff peak stage.

Gently fold in the cherry puree. Don’t be tempted to over mix or you will ruin the ripple effect.Transfer the mixture to a two litre freezer proof dish and freeze overnight.

CHERRY GRANITA

If dairy is not your thing, you don’t have to miss out on an icy treat for dessert on a hot summer evening.

500g cherries

1 cup water

½ cup sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

Halve and pit the cherries. Add these and the remaining ingredients to a pot and simmer for 15 minutes. Place in a food processor or blender and puree before pouring into a rather large airtight container and freeze.

To make it into granita you can either break up the partially frozen puree with a fork at intervals while it freezes, or you can wait until it has frozen then place in a food processor and process before placing back into the freezer for a few hours.

The reason for the large container is to speed up the freezing time while also avoiding a large frozen block which is hard to break up.

Serve in small glasses as a refreshing after dinner treat.

MINI BLACK FOREST CAKE

A double shot of espresso or 1 /3 cup strong coffee250g dark chocolate

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

½ cup flavourless oil (I use sunflower)

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ cup cocoa

1/3 cup milk

500g fresh cherries, pitted

¼ cup sugarjuice of half a lemon

2 tsp cornflour

¼ cup water

300mls cream

To make the cakes melt 150g of the chocolate with the coffee. You can do this in the microwave (in 30 second bursts), over a double boiler or directly in a pot if you have an induction cook top. Once melted, set aside and allow to cool.

Beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla and oil together until light and fluffy then slowly add in the melted chocolate.

Fold in the dry ingredients, then finally the milk.

Grease 12 individual mini cake tins/Texas muffin tins and divide the mixture between these. Bake for 15–20 minutes at 180°C.

Place the cherries in a small pot with the sugar and lemon juice. Simmer for 15 minutes. Mix the cornflour with the water then mix this into the cherries. Continue to cook until thick. Take off the heat and cool completely.

When the cakes and cherries have completely cooled, whip a cup of the cream (with a tsp vanilla extract—optional) until soft peaks.

Make the ganache by melting the remaining chocolate and cream together.

To assemble, cut each cake in half, piping or dolloping the cream on the bottom halves of each cake. Top these with the cherry mixture before carefully sandwiching with the top of the cakes. Ice with the ganache and, if you want, chocolate dipped cherries.