Cherry Friands

I can’t re-blog any more in WordPress…What gives?

But glad to see cherries back in the groceries!

This is a re-post from September 2016.

Looking forward to making this again!

Cherry Friands

When I saw these, Cherry Friands, I knew I desperately wanted to try them. I saved the recipe. I even saved my last batch of fresh cherries in the freezer just for this recipe!

I created a lighter version with less butter and maple syrup. Here’s how I made mine.

Ingredients:

45 grams flour
3/4 stick butter (will use only 1/2 next time)
80 grams almond meal
1/3 cup maple syrup
3 egg whites
a pinch of salt
6 pitted cherries

Prepare a 6 muffin tin. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, whisk together: melted butter and egg whites. Add in flour,  almond meal, pinch of salt and maple syrup. Add 1-2 tbsp of batter into muffin tins. Top with a pitted cherry.

Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked and toothpick test passes.

 

Enjoy with a nice cuppa tea!

It’s Popsicle Week: Cardamon flavored Mango Popsicle

Now that summer is officially here, the heat is on. With highs in the upper 80’s or mid 90’s,  I have been craving cooler stuff such as ice cream.

Last year I tried some of the Popsicle from Wit & Vinegar’s Popsicle Week. As it happens this week is Popsicle Week!

This year I am trying some of mine as well as some from past Popsicle Week recipes.  Here are a couple I have tried this week that were so good!

 Cardamon flavored Mango Popsicle:

1 cup lite coconut milk (or use Almond milk)
1.25 cups mango pulp or lightly blended mango (I left mine chunky)
1/4 cup white chocolate bits
a drizzle of lemon juice
a dash of cardamon

Bring the coconut milk to boil and add white chocolate bits. Warm until the chocolate melts. Mix well. Meanwhile lightly process the mango if using diced mango until blended into small bits. Mix in the milk mixture. Add cardamon and mix well.

Pour into Popsicle molds and refrigerate for four hours.

When ready to serve, eat them as is or melt some dark chocolate and dip the end of  the Popsicle in it. Then roll it in some grated coconut. Enjoy!

I also tried these cherry flavored Popsicle from here.

Pistachio Dipped Cherry and White Chocolate Pops

1 cup almond or lite coconut milk
1.25 cups cherries, pitted
1/4 cup white chocolate

Bring the coconut milk to boil and add white chocolate bits. Warm until the chocolate melts. Mix well. Meanwhile lightly process the cherries into bits. Add to the milk mixture and mix well.

Pour into Popsicle molds and refrigerate for four hours.

Just before serving, optionally melt some white chocolate, and dip the Popsicle in it. Next roll it in some pistachio bits. Enjoy!

See Also:

Cherry, Dark Chocolate, and Coffee Popsicle
Cherry, Almond and  Dark Chocolate Bark
Cherry Swirl with Dark Chocolate and Cherry Bits

Cherries are in the air

Cherries are most economic in April/May, and I hoard up on them. More than I can eat anyway.

Sometimes too many!

While they are refreshing and fun for that late afternoon snack, there are many cherry recipes I love to try when this happens…

Salads

Cherry and Avacado Salad

Baking

Mini Cherry Crumbles

Cherry and Cardamon Cake

Cherry Cake

Healthy Whole Wheat Cherry and Chocolate Muffins

Homemade Granola

Ice Cream

Cherry,  Dark Chocolate and Coffee Popsicle

Cherry Swirl, Dark Chocolate and Cherry Bits

Refreshing Drinks

Refreshing and Homemade Cherry Lemonade

Cherry, Dark Chocolate and Coffee Popsicle

Recently, I came across this blog: Wit and Vinegar and quite propitiously Popsicle Week just came to an end with varied Popsicle recipes.

Here is one of my favorite I’ve tried so far. As always, I adapted using ingredients in my pantry.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup coconut milk
3/4 cup pitted cherries
6 tbsp unsweetened coffee
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
a dash of salt
2 squares of dark chocolate cut to bits

Process coconut milk, unsweetened coffee, vanilla extract, maple syrup and salt in a food processor. Transfer to a freezer safe dish. Add dark chocolate bits and cherry bits. Freeze for 45 minutes to an hour.

Once the mixture is thickened, scoop and transfer to Popsicle molds. Freeze for 3-4 hours to allow the molds to set.  When ready to eat or serve, dip molds in hot water for a few seconds to allow the popsicle to slide out.

Enjoy on a ridiculously hot, and humid day!

Quick Lunch Series: Cherry and Avocado Salad

Cherry is the name so far, and I am on a roll snagging cherries from the groceries and trying new recipes while I can before they run out!

Here is an easy recipe for that office day meal.

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup pitted fresh cherries
1-2 tbsp walnuts ( or use slivered almonds)
1-2 tbsp sliced red onion
1/2 avocado, diced
a few roasted coconut slices

Dressing:

1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp while wine vinegar
salt
fresh ground pepper

Layer a bed of spinach. Add sliced and pitted cherries, nuts, red onion and avocado. Top with some roasted coconut slices.

Drizzle dressing as desired before serving or enjoying for a refreshing office day lunch!

Cherry Swirl with Dark Chocolate & Cherry Bits

I love Cherries.

Lately I have comes across many recipes for ice cream. And this one was no different.  This recipe started out one way, and ended up differently as I started to improvise.

Ingredients:

1 cup cherries, pitted, and another handful
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2-3 tbsp honey or Maple syrup
1-2 dark chocolate squares cut into bits

Blend half cup Greek yogurt, cherries and vanilla extract. Transfer a bowl that is freezer safe.

In a separate bowl mix the remaining Greek yogurt and honey, and toppings of cherry  and chocloate bits. Layer on top of the bowl. Using a butter knife to gently swirl the mixture.

Freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.

Note:

My first attempt used only 1 tbsp Maple syrup as prescribed in the original recipe and I found that wanting. So I repaired the recipe by adding more maple syrup and adding the toppings. The final product was more to my liking.

Eat stand alone, with a slice of cherry cake or I even experimented making a sandwich with two digestive biscuits. Refreshing in this hot, humid weather!

Cherry and Cardamon Cake

If I were to name a fruit that was my most favorite one, then Mango and Cherry would be neck to neck. While mangoes in some variety are available year round, cherries have a short shelf life. More importantly, they are super expensive especially in the east coast.

I miss those days when we went cherry picking, eating all we could. Or the days when I could grab a pound at 99 cents back in CA.  I make up for it, by grabbing the cheapest I can, while they last.

In addition to eating them fresh, I also love trying new recipes such as this cake.

Ingredients:

1 cups fresh cherries, pitted
1.5 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup softened butter
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 cardamon pods, crushed
1 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla essence till fluffy. Add eggs,  flour, cardamon, and then milk and continue to beat until combined.

Add half the cherries and mix together. Transfer to a greased cake pan. Press rest of the cherries on top of the batter.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until  golden. Cool on a wire rack, before serving.

Goes well with the Cherry Swirl Ice cream. Stay tuned for the recipe 🙂

 

Cherry Cake

Cherries are my absolute favorite. I always grab a bag each time I am in a grocery this time of the year. Although this year, they have been too expensive at $7.99 a pound. More recently they have come down to $3.99 a pound that I dared to grab some. Although, if memory serves, by now they would have been $.99 a pound out in California!

They are a delicious snack to pack for that afternoon sanck. Sweet and refreshing.

This time I stayed true to the recipe…. You can find it here.

But I bet, you can use some whole wheat or other whole grain flour.. to make a healthier version,

Enjoy!

Mini Cherry Crumbles

Saw this on PBS Fresh Tastes Blog and had to try it out immediately. Cherries are my favorite fruit. When in season I never fail to buy them during each visit to the grocery. I had some fresh organic ones in the refrigerator ready and a sweet tooth to quench.

Ingredients:
2 cups pitted and sliced cherries
3/8 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
3/8 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp butter
pinch of salt

Slice the cherries and set aside. Drizzle some lemon juice and toss lightly. Meanwhile in a bowl mix melted butter, sugar, oats and flour. Add a pinch of salt.

Fill each ramekin with 3 quarters of cherries and add the rolled oats mix on top. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake the cherry crumbles for 25-30 minutes.

I used sliced strawberries with some left over crumbles and it was excellent. Next time I think I will try with raspberries, blueberries and blackberries as well!

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Easy, quick and delicious! Try it!