Cherry Chocolate Brownies
Inspired by a recipe from the late, great, much-missed Gourmet Magazine
yield: One 9×13 inch pan/33×23 cm pan brownies
preparation time: 2 hours to bake the cherry jam; about thirty minutes to bake brownies
This cherry jam recipe comes from Eugenia Bone, who got it from Jacques Pepin. The fruit is pitted and baked in a low oven with sugar. The jam is a soft-set style without pectin. You can either pour the jam into sterilized jars and refrigerate it for a few weeks, or can it in a water bath (instructions follow), which gives a shelf-stable product.
For a thorough explanation of water bath canning, including helpful equipment, read this.
The fruit throws off a lot of liquid as it bakes. Save this treasure to drink by itself, with soda, booze, or poured over ice cream. Or make cherry bounce.
This recipe also works with strawberries and apricots.
Baked Cherry Jam
Yield: 3 half pints/250g jars
1 pound/450g sweet cherries, pitted
1 cup/250g sugar
preheat the oven to 200 degrees F/very low oven; approximately 121C
Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Spread the pitted cherries on the baking sheet. Pour the sugar evenly over the fruit. Place the tray in the oven.
Bake up to two hours, stirring occasionally with a spatula to help the sugar melt evenly, until the fruit is cooked and the sugar has dissolved. This may take a little longer for European oven users, whose ovens may be cooler.
While the cherries bake, sterilize 3 half-pint/250g jars and lids. Have a water bath canner ready.
When you are ready to can, carefully tip the contents of the baking sheet into a large bowl. It is easier to spoon jam into jars from a bowl than directly from the baking sheet.
Spoon the cherries into jars, leaving 1/2 inch headroom. Do not overfill jars or seals will be compromised. Clean any drips or spills with a clean cloth or paper towel dipped in white vinegar. Screw on lids fingertip tight and lower into canner. Once all jars are filled, ensure canner water level covers jars, put canner lid on, bring water to a rolling boil, and process for 15 minutes, taking your altitude into account if necessary.
If you are not water bath canning, spoon cherries into sterilized jars and screw on sterilized lids. Allow jars to cool before refrigerating. Use within 6 weeks.