Flambéed Sour Cherry Delight
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Sour cherries sautéed in browned butter with brown sugar then flambéed with brandy and a hint of cinnamon. Served warm over tangy mango sorbet, a twist on the classic vanilla ice cream pairing. Quick dessert, rich aroma, sticky reduction, bright fruit bite. Easy to adapt with frozen fruit or dried spices. A throwback technique with modern tweaks to cut overly sweet profiles and add depth. Perfect for impromptu gatherings or dessert rescue when fresh cherries are out.
Prep:
7 min
Cook:
6 min
Total:
13 min
Servings:
4 servings
#dessert
#French-inspired
#flambé
#cherries
#quick dessert
#fruit dessert
#brandy
Cherries demand attention—sour cherries even more. That tart snap wakes the palate; how to bring out richness without drowning in sugar? Tried butter before but felt plain. Then browned it—like nutty velvet, smells deep and toasted, no bitterness. Brown sugar for caramel but less than usual; brandy flames away harsh alcohol, leaves warm glow. Cinnamon is a secret weapon—spice tickles while frying, deep aroma floats through kitchen. Swap vanilla ice cream for mango sorbet, breaks cloying fat, vibrant cold contrast. Flambéing is nerve-wracking but worth the show. Heat tell tales, bubbles scream readiness. Took a couple tries, sometimes cherries softened too much, or sauce stayed watery. Now, with timing and sensory cues, nail it almost every time. No timer needed if you listen and watch closely.
Ingredients
- 20 ml browned butter
- 1 can 400 ml sour cherries packed in juice, drained
- 20 ml brown sugar
- 25 ml aged brandy
- a pinch ground cinnamon
- mango sorbet or a tart frozen fruit alternative
About the ingredients
Browned butter can be homemade; melt butter until foam clears and color changes to light brown. Use canned sour cherries drained well to avoid watery sauce, fresh works but reduce liquid added. Brown sugar offers depth not raw sweetness—dark preferred over light. Aged brandy or cognac preferred for mellow flavor and cleaner flambe. Cinnamon is optional but suggested for spice layer, ground best for quick release; alternatives like star anise can work but adjust quantities to prevent over-spice. Mango sorbet chosen to cut richness and acidity; vanilla ice cream or even lemon sherbet can step in but mind melting rates. If no alcohol, skip flambé but extend reduction phase slightly for flavor concentration. Keep some sorbet in the freezer until last second—melts fast under hot cherries.
Method
- Heat browned butter in heavy skillet over medium-high heat until foaming stops and butter smells nutty. Sound changes from bubbly to whisper quiet.
- Add cherries and brown sugar, stirring constantly. Watch cherries release juice immediately. Bubbles will change from fierce to gentler, syrup thickens slightly in 3-4 minutes.
- Sprinkle cinnamon evenly, swirl to combine. Cinnamon hits hot butter vapor, releasing sharp aroma—don’t skip this step or risk flat profile.
- Pour in brandy, immediately tilt pan away from face and ignite with long match or lighter. Flame will shoot up quickly—keep a firm wrist, flamber about 30 seconds until flames die down naturally.
- Let sauce reduce by half, stirring gently. Texture thickens, clinging to cherries like glaze. Cherries should be soft but intact, not mushy—test one carefully.
- Plate a scoop of mango sorbet, ladle hot cherries with sauce on top. Serve immediately to avoid sorbet melting into pool.
Cooking tips
Don’t rush browned butter—listen for foam dying down and smell nutty to avoid burnt butter taste. When adding cherries and sugar, watch bubbles: rapid boiling then settling signals sugar dissolving and juice releasing. Stir gently but don’t mash cherries. Sprinkle cinnamon evenly so it doesn’t clump or burn. Adding brandy—do away from face, use long-handled lighter or match. Flame height and duration signals alcohol burn-off; flame that persists or sputters means too much liquid or cool flame source. Don’t blow out flame. After flambé, reduce sauce by volume not just time; it should thicken enough to coat spoon but still fluid. Test cherry texture with tongs or spoon—should yield to pressure, not collapse. Serve immediately—hot cherries over cold sorbet is the whole point. Leftover sauce thickens too hard if cooled; reheat carefully over low heat avoiding caramel burn spots.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Browned butter needs careful watching. Foam rises, sounds change from crackle to quiet whisper. Smell shifts from sweet to toasted nuts. Stop right there to avoid bitterness. Takes patience but worth it. Use a heavy skillet for even heat control; thin pans burn butter fast. Don’t rush, slow medium heat is your friend.
- 💡 When adding cherries plus brown sugar, constant stirring is key. Look for bubbles softening from fierce boil to mellow simmer. Juice releases fast, sugar dissolves unevenly. Don’t mash cherries. Syrup thickens slightly in 3-4 minutes. Timing crucial here. Too much heat ruins texture, too long leaves watery sauce.
- 💡 Cinnamon hit is abrupt—sprinkle evenly, swirl quick. Hitting hot butter vapor releases popping aroma. Skip or delay and spice flatlines. Ground cinnamon preferred; star anise alternative but reduce quantity drastically to avoid overpowering. Layer of smell changes how sauce reads, subtle but noticeable.
- 💡 Flambé step demands focus. Pour brandy away from face. Ignite with long match or lighter swiftly; flame spikes fast, reach peak then die down naturally. Don’t blow flame out. Flame duration shows alcohol burning off. Too long means cold flame source or excess liquid; too short can leave harsh burn. Wrist control matters here.
- 💡 Sauce reduction needs gentle stirring. Texture should cling like glaze not thick paste. Test cherries carefully with spoon pressure; soft but intact. Over-reduce leads to sticky chewiness, underdone sauce too thin. Adjust heat to balance. Sauce changes visible in shimmer and thickness but smells more fragrant as it concentrates.
Common questions
Can I use fresh cherries?
Fresh works but watch liquid. Drain or reduce added water to avoid runny sauce. Fresh fruit softer so reduce cook time carefully; drain juice well. Might need shorter flambé, watch texture closely.
What if no brandy?
Skip flambé, extend simmer for thicker sauce. Spice and sugar carry flavor. Use fruit juice or non-alcoholic spirits but no flame effect then. Adjust reduction phase slightly longer to build intensity. Results differ but still tasty.
Sauce too thin or watery?
Increase heat slightly to speed reduction. Stir gently avoid burning sugar. Drain cherries better before cooking or reduce liquid used initially. Thickening takes patience, don't rush with flour or cornstarch—changes profile badly.
How to store leftovers?
Refrigerate cherries separate from sorbet; sauce thickens cold and hardens. Reheat slowly over low heat, stir to prevent caramel burns or drying out. Freeze cherries possible, but texture softens. Sorbet should stay frozen till plating.
