Today our spotlight is on Cherries Jubilee.

Cherries jubilee is a dessert dish made with black cherries and liqueur (brandy or kirsch), which are flambéed tableside, and commonly served as a sauce spooned over vanilla ice cream or crepes. Other flambéed fruit dishes include Bananas Foster, mangos diablo (mangos flambéed in tequila) and peaches Louis (peaches flamed in whiskey).

 

History

Cherries Jubilee is a classic French dessert that was invented in England. The recipe is credited to French chef Auguste Escoffier, who created the dish in honor of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 1897.  Escoffier created the dish because he knew Queen Victoria loved cherries. The popularity of Cherries Jubilee skyrocketed during Queen Victoria’s reign.

The original version didn’t include ice cream. The dish is a flambéed dessert where the cherries are set on fire at the table. The dessert is made with cherries, sugar, and sometimes lemon juice, rum, and Kirsch, which is a type of cherry brandy. It’s often served on top of ice cream. The original recipe didn’t include ice cream. Instead, Escoffier cooked fresh cherries and sweetened them, then poured warm liqueur or fruit brandy over the fruits. Just before serving, the alcohol was put on a flame blue. The cherries are served in a tall dessert glass.

The dessert has evolved over time. Later recipes added the liquor Kirschwasser and ice cream. Modern recipes often include ice cream. Additional ingredients may include grated orange zest, orange juice, and cinnamon. Cherries Jubilee is often served as a dessert topping, usually on ice cream. It can also be served atop warm, freshly made crepes.

 

Here is a Cherries Jubilee recipe for you to try:

Ingredients:

• 1-pound fresh ripe sweet cherries, cleaned and pitted
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• juice of ½ a lemon
• ⅓ cup cherry brandy (Kirsch) or rum
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving.

Instructions:

1. Wash and pit the cherries (leave whole.) Place the cherries in a flameproof skillet large enough to fit the fruits in a single layer. Add the sugar and lemon juice and stir to combine. Cover the pan and heat on medium-low until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.
2. Uncover the pan and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook until the cherries are juicy and syrupy, about 5 minutes.
3. Slide the pan off the heat and add the Kirsch. Ignite the alcohol with a utility lighter or long fireplace match. Quickly move the skillet back onto the burner and gently shake and swirl until the flames subside, about 30-45 seconds.

 

4. Remove from the heat and serve immediately spooning over vanilla ice cream. Store any leftovers in a jar in the refrigerator.

 

Nutrition

Cherries Jubilee has 80 calories per 0.25 cup serving. A small serving of Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Classic Cherries Jubilee has 140 calories, 16g of total carbs, 7g of fat, and 2g of protein. A 1/2 cup serving of Baskin-Robbins Cherries Jubilee has 240 calories.

Here is some nutritional information for a recipe for Cherries Jubilee:

• Calories: 151.7
• Sodium: 362.5 mg
• Potassium: 90.6 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 35.4 g
• Dietary Fiber: 0.3 g

Cherries Jubilee is a dessert that contains alcohol, but most of the alcohol is burned off during cooking. Children over 8 years old should be able to eat this dessert.

 

Celebrating Cherries Jubilee

National Cherries Jubilee Day is celebrated annually on September 24th. This day is dedicated to the classic dessert made from cherries and liqueur, usually Kirschwasser. National Cherries Jubilee Day is a great day for people to try this dish for the first time or to reacquaint themselves with it. Let us know in the comments if you are brave enough to make this one at home.