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Spirited Sour Cherries

Three layers of chocolate gnoise soaked in kirsch covered in whipped cream icing cherries and ground dark chocolate.
Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell

When sour cherries (griottes in French) were in season, my father would preserve them in eau-de-vie for his Black Forest Cake . The syrup moistened the génoise, and the cherries went into the filling. My brother and I would eat the cherries until we got a buzz. Before freezers, the only way to preserve the fruit cops would be to make jams, jellies, these fruits preserved in alcohol, and eau-de-vie. Alsace is famous for its eau-de-vie as well as for its cherries, plums, and pears. It was natural to do these cherries at home and pull out a jar for special occasions. We usually do not pit cherries even when baking or using them for preserves such as these, so be sure to tell your guests about the pits. If you do pit the cherries, the alcohol penetrates them more quickly. But they hold their shape better if not pitted. Serve the cherries on their own as a treat with after-dinner coffee or over ice cream.

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