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Cherries Jubilee

2 reviews
Test Kitchen Approved
Total Time

Prep/Total Time: 20 min.

Makes

2 cups

Updated: Sep. 07, 2023
Made with sweet or tart cherries and doused in brandy, cherries jubilee will be a flaming success! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Cherries Jubilee
Cherries Jubilee Recipe photo by Taste of Home
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Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup cold water
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 4 cups fresh dark sweet cherries, pitted, or frozen pitted tart cherries, thawed
  • 1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest
  • 1/3 cup cherry brandy
  • 1/4 teaspoon cherry extract, optional
  • Vanilla ice cream or sliced pound cake

Directions

  1. In a large saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir water and orange juice into cornstarch mixture until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes.
  2. Stir in cherries and zest. Cook and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low; stir in brandy and extract, coating evenly. Carefully ignite.
  3. Leaving pan on cooking surface, gently shake pan back and forth until flames are completely extinguished. Immediately serve over ice cream or pound cake.
Cherries Jubilee Tips

Why is it called cherries jubilee?

Cherries jubilee is said to have been created as a tribute to Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee celebration in the late 1800s.

What kind of cherry brandy should you use to make cherries jubilee?

This cherry dessert is traditionally made with kirschwasser, also known as kirsch. It's a clear brandy distilled from fermented cherries. If you enjoy brandy cocktails, cherries jubilee is likely a dessert you'll love, too.

Can you make cherries jubilee without brandy?

Cherries jubilee can be made without alcohol by substituting cherry or apple juice for the brandy.

How do you flambé cherries jubilee?

To flambé, first turn off the heat or remove the pan from the stovetop to a heatproof surface. Stir in the alcohol and quickly ignite using a long match or long-reach lighter. Allow the flame to burn off on its own. Keep the pan lid nearby in case you need to put the flame out quickly by topping with the lid.

Do you have to flambé cherries jubilee?

Although flambéing cherries jubilee does make it feel special, you don't have to light it on fire to categorize the recipe as a romantic dessert. Simply add the brandy and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes to remove some of the alcohol flavor, because flaming the alcohol leaves behind subtle notes of the cherry brandy without the strong alcohol taste. It also adds flavor from caramelization.

—Peggy Woodward, Taste of Home Senior Food Editor

Nutrition Facts

1/4 cup: 96 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 0 sodium, 24g carbohydrate (17g sugars, 1g fiber), 1g protein.