Badda Bing Cherries Recipes

BADA BING COCKTAIL CHERRIES

Steps:

• Pour out the juice from the jar of Bada Bing Cherries (13.5 oz), then add: 4 strips of orange zest 1 cinnamon stick 1 piece of star anise 2 T. Brown sugar ¼ c. Bourbon Fill the jar to the top with remaining juice. You can gently shake the jars to help dissolve the sugar. I also like to keep turning my jars over and giving them a little shake once or twice a day. Enjoy!

BADA BING CHERRY PIE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Prepare the Classic Pie Crust as directed for a 9-inch double-crust pie.
• 2. Place the cherries in a large bowl. Mix orange and lemon juices with the cornstarch, then combine with sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Toss with the cherries. Let rest for 15 minutes.
• 3. Add the almond extract and the orange zest; toss well.
• 4. Line a 9-inch pie plate with one crust and prick all over with a fork. Spoon the cherry filling evenly into the crust. Dot all over with butter. Cover with a top crust. With water, moisten the crusts where they meet, then turn the top crust under the bottom and flute the edge. Cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Decorate the surface if you wish by rolling out the scraps and cutting several cherry, leaf, and stem shapes.
• 5. Bake pie in center of the oven for 10 minutes at 450°F. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake 45 to 55 minutes more, or until the crust is nicely golden. Let cool on a rack before serving warm or at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE DIPPED BING CHERRIES

Steps:

• Pour the sugar into a shallow dish. Drop two drops of vanilla at a time into the dish in 24 separate places to form lumps of vanilla sugar. Set aside to allow the lumps to harden.
• Pit the cherries carefully from the bottom. I use a small curved dental tool. Make sure the stem stays intact.
• When the lumps of sugar have hardened, insert them into the cherries where the pits were; set aside. Melt chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth.
• Hold cherries by the stem and dip into the chocolate leaving the very top uncovered. Set on waxed paper to dry. Refrigerate overnight to allow the sugar lumps to dissolve.

BLACK BING CHERRY PRESERVES

Steps:

• Combine the cherries and sugar in a large, heavy, shallow, non-reactive saucepan.
• Set aside to plump, several hours or as long as overnight.
• Add the water to the cherries and bring to a boil.
• Cook for 5 minutes; then add the lemon juice and boil rather fast until the juice has thickened like jelly and a candy thermometer reads 221*F.
• Remove pan from heat and allow the preserves to sit overnight, covered; refrigerate them, if you'd rather.
• The next day, reheat the preserves to the boiling point and spoon them into hot, sterilized canning jars and seal.
• Store in the refrigerator, or (better) in the freezer.

FRESH BING CHERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Place cherries a glass bowl. Add sugar, sea salt, orange muscat wine, lemon zest, lemon juice and stir.
• Place bay leaves, allspice berries, whole cloves, cinnamon stick in cheese cloth and tie with a string to complete Sachet. Place Sachet in cherries, cover with plastic and chill for 1 hour.
• Melt 1-tablespoon butter in a heavy bottom saucepan and saute shallots until they are soft or tender. Add cherry brandy and reduce by one-half.
• Add fresh cherries with their juice, Sachet and bring to a slow boil. Stir cherries to prevent burning and wish in butter. Reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove cherries from heat, discard Sachet and allow cherries to cool slightly.
• Puree cherries with a hand blender, bring to a simmer, add nutmeg and cayenne pepper to taste. Stir cherry sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Strain cherry sauce using a fine sieve or chinois. Serve Fresh Bing Cherry Sauce hot or room temperature.
• Garnish: Fresh Bing Cherry Sauce with Whole Cherries.
• *Orange Muscat Dessert Wine (Nibbia Winery, Half-Moon Bay, Ca.).
• Chef's Note: You can use any Muscat Wine.