Cherry sauce is one of the most enjoyable ways to make the most of summer cherries. With its deep ruby-red color and rich flavor, it pairs beautifully with cheesecakes, tarts, cakes, and ice cream, adding both elegance and deliciousness to any dessert.

During the summer, you can even spoon a generous amount over your favorite ice cream. Let it slowly cascade down the sides and admire its glossy appearance before enjoying its rich, luscious flavor.

I have also shared a quick cherry sauce recipe for “emergency situations.” This version takes a little more time, but rewards you with an even richer flavor. And if you don’t have a cherry pitter, I’ll show you an easy way to remove the pits while keeping the cherries as intact as possible.

🛒 Ingredients

• 🍒 1500 g cherries
• 🍬 1/2 cup sugar
• 💧 1/2 cup water
• 🍋 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 🍒 1/4 cup cherry juice
• 🥄 2 tbsp cornstarch

👩‍🍳 Preparation

Wash the cherries and remove the pits using a cherry pitter.

If you don’t have a cherry pitter, score each cherry with a small cross on the bottom side, cutting down until you reach the pit.

Hold the cherry in the palm of your hand and, at the spot where the stem was attached, place a wooden skewer against it using the flat end, not the pointed one. Gently push until the pit comes out.

Prepare all the cherries in the same way.

Place two-thirds of the cherries in a saucepan along with the water and sugar. Simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and pass the cherries through a fine sieve, a few at a time, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the skins left behind.

Return the extracted juice to the saucepan along with the syrup. Add the lemon juice and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the cherry juice and cornstarch until completely smooth.

Slowly pour the mixture into the saucepan, stirring constantly. Cook briefly until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. Keep in mind that it will thicken a little more as it cools.

Just before removing the saucepan from the heat, add the remaining cherries and stir gently. The heat of the sauce will soften the cherries just enough, while allowing them to remain whole and beautiful in the syrup without becoming mushy.

Allow the sauce to cool, then transfer it to a jar and store it in the refrigerator.

🍒 From Personal Experience…

🔸 Do not use the pointed end of the skewer. I did that by mistake while filming and managed to provide my daughters with some of the best bloopers we’ve ever recorded. I ended up covered in cherry juice, while the pit remained completely unimpressed and stubbornly stayed right where it was! 🤭

🔸 The sauce keeps well in the refrigerator for several days. For the best quality, enjoy it within one week. But if it hasn’t been eaten within a week, just know that something went very, very wrong… 😄

Enjoy!

Nanà…