Cherries jubilee is a celebratory dish that get’s started on fire. Any dessert that you start on fire, I’m interested in. This creamy sauce-y cherry syrup is made using fresh or frozen cherries cooked until jammy and syrupy, then finished with Brandy. Start it on fire before pouring it over a bowl of sweet vanilla ice cream. It’s an ideal way to enjoy a dessert with that hot and cold contrast with flavors that remind of us creamy oranges and vanilla. It’s a great compote to just have in the fridge for multiple uses.

This recipe starts with two fruit; cherries and oranges. These fruits will be the star of the syrup and need to be present. We start by cooking orange juice and frozen cherries in a pan. This will cook the cherries and concentrate the orange juice helping the cherries to soften. Add in some sugar mixed with cornstarch to thicken your sauce once the cherries have cooked to your liking. This will happen immediately, so keep your heat on low with a small glass of water in case the mixture get’s too thick.

Finish you cherry syrup by flambéing with brandy. This gives it that distinct cherries jubilee flavor and emphasizes all the orange juice and zest we’ve added.

I like my cherry compote over ice cream, which is the traditional way, but I’m all for adding this syrup to a beverage, a cocktail, a smoothie, a salad dressing or even as a sauce for grilled meat. The dish itself is the compote. It’s a great compote!

Keep this in your fridge for up to two weeks or freeze it for a frozen smoothie or margarita one day. The recipe is the compote, so use it up. Bring this out for a kid’s birthday or warm summer night. Ice cream is always a hit!