Suggestions
🖨️

Cherries Jubilee

Chop Rating
chopchopchopchopchop
Sign in to review
Not yet rated
desserts•french•vegetarian, gluten-free, contains alcohol
25 minutes•4 servings•

Ingredients

  • 1 pounds sweet cherries – pitted (~66.5 n/a cherries)
  • 1/4 cups granulated sugar (50g)
  • 1 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons cold water
  • 1/4 cups kirsch
  • vanilla ice cream – scooped (for serving)
Cherries Jubilee

Instructions

  1. 1.

    In a medium bowl, combine the cherries, sugar, and lemon juice; toss well and let stand 10 minutes to draw out juices.

  2. 2.

    In a small cup, stir the cornstarch with the cold water until smooth.

  3. 3.

    Pour the macerated mixture into a wide skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook until the fruit is just tender and the juices are released, 3–4 minutes.

  4. 4.

    Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer, stirring, until the sauce lightly thickens and glosses, 30–60 seconds; it should just coat the back of a spoon.

  5. 5.

    In a small saucepan, gently warm the kirsch over low heat until hot but not boiling, 30–60 seconds.

  6. 6.

    Remove the skillet from the heat, pour in the warmed kirsch, and immediately ignite with a long match; return the skillet to low heat and shake gently until the flames subside, 15–30 seconds.

  7. 7.

    Spoon the hot sauce over vanilla ice cream (for serving) and serve immediately.

Cherries Jubilee is a dramatic tableside dessert of sweet cherries simmered in a light syrup, then doused with kirsch and flambéed, sending blue flames dancing over the pan. The warm fruit and glossy sauce are traditionally spooned over cold vanilla ice cream, giving a luxurious contrast of temperatures and textures. The flavor profile is pure and focused: ripe cherry character lifted by a touch of citrus, balanced sweetness, and the aromatic bite of cherry brandy.

The dish is widely credited to Auguste Escoffier, who created it in the late nineteenth century in honor of Queen Victoria’s Jubilee. Its flambé presentation became a hallmark of grand French service and later of mid‑century restaurant dining in Britain and America. While variations exist, the core remains a celebration of cherries and spectacle, with kirsch providing an authentic regional note from cherry‑growing areas of France and neighboring Switzerland and Germany.