rum cherry compote.

I have a sweet surprise to share with you. One of my favorite summer fruits is cherries. We always buy both sweet and sour cherries when they are in season - to eat fresh, can, and freeze. We have made this a few times already in the past few weeks...it is so good over pound cake (my favorite combo was over coconut pound cake - oh yes), with ice cream, and would be great with a good pancake. This is an adult cherry reduction that is oh, so, good.


I started by pitting and slicing in half about 1 cup of sweet cherries. Put them in a canning jar, add about 1 Tbsp of honey or a raw sugar, and fill just to cover the cherries with dark rum. I added the seeds and pod of 1/3 a vanilla bean - you could also just add 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract. Let soak for a few hours.

Pour the mixture in a small saucepan, and turn heat to high. Bring it to a boil and keep it rolling for a minute or two. Turn down to medium (stir!), and let simmer for another 7-10 minutes. Keep an eye on it - it should be simmering, not boiling. This cooks off the alcohol a bit, softens the cherries, and reduces the liquid to a nice syrupy consistency.

Let cool a little and serve! There is a nice round aroma of the rum, but without any alcohol mouth burn. Such a rich cherry flavor - and not too sweet. Enjoy!

coconut milk ice cream with drunken cherry sauce

I have been wanting to try making ice cream using coconut milk. When I found myself with a bag of fresh sweet cherries I knew what I had to make - coconut milk ice cream, with some sort of cherry sauce to go over the top. This turned out great. SO good. For wee ones you can make a sauce without the rum, or save this for the adult topping and just sprinkle toasted coconut over for kids. My boys helped make the ice cream - it was super quick and simple!

::coconut milk ice cream::

ingredients::
2 cans organic coconut milk (not light)
1/2 c. heavy cream *optional
1/2 c. agave or sugar
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c. toasted coconut

To toast coconut. Start with 1/2 cup of UNsweetened shredded dried coconut. Heat a small skillet and add the coconut. Stirring constantly, leave on heat for a minute or so until coconut starts turning a light golden brown. Remove from heat, and dump coconut into a bowl (don't leave it in the hot pan or it could burn). Use 1/4 cup of the toasted coconut IN the ice cream, save the rest to sprinkle on top when serving.


directions::
We use an ice cream maker... In a bowl stir together liquid ingredients. By adding the sugar/agave slowly, it will incorporate without just sinking to the bottom. Add the pinch of salt, stir, and finally add the coconut. Place into your ice cream maker according to the instructions for your model.

::drunken cherry sauce::

ingredients::
1 1/4 c. rum
2 c. pitted sweet cherries
1 Tbsp. honey or agave

directions::
Place ingredients in a small pot and heat to boiling. Turn down heat until just bubbling, and let simmer and reduce for about 20 minutes. This will cook off most of the alcohol, infusing the cherries with a nice flavor in a thick liquid. Once reduced to about half, remove from heat and let cool. Spoon over the coconut milk ice cream to serve. Store in the fridge.