Chocolate Cherry Sorbet

The growing season has begun to shift from strawberries to blueberries and cherries.  I love them all in their own way.  Cherries are a relatively new found berry for me.  It was not until high school that I really liked to eat them.  Before my teenage years, I thought cherries were too bitter or tart or something…what was wrong with me?  Over time I have grown to love cherries and use them seasonally in baking and on top of yogurt or cereal.  A few days ago I was flipping through a magazine and found a wonderful recipe for a Chocolate Cherry Sorbet with Fresh Cherry Compote that I had to try.  The sweet and sour cherry taste with the concentrated chocolate flavor kind of reminds me of a cherry Tootsie pop – good to the last lick.  I tweaked the recipe a little and I hope you love it.  Enjoy!

Good to the end

Chocolate Cherry Sorbet
Slightly adapted from recipe in Cooking Light, June 2010
Makes 1 quart

3/4 cup red cherry jam (such as Bonne Maman)
1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
2 Tablespoon amaretto liquor

Fresh Cherry Compote

1/4 cup sugar
1 pound fresh Bing or tart cherries, pitted and halved

Place first four ingredients in a heavy saucepan, whisking to combine.  Gradually add 2 cups water, continuing to stir with a whisk.  Bring mixture to a boil while whisking frequently.  Remove from heat and pour mixture into a medium bowl.  Set the bowl in an ice water bath and let stand, stirring occasionally, until cool, about 20 minutes.  Once cool, add amaretto.

Cover bowl and place in refrigerator to fully chill, at least 4 hours or preferably overnight. Once chilled, pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Place plastic or parchment over ice cream (to prevent ice crystals) and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

To make compote, combine sugar and cherries and toss well.  Let stand at room temperature for about one hour.  Serve compote with sorbet.