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As we know, cherries always have stems and, if they didn’t, they simply wouldn’t be cherries, they would be picotas. Another thing is that the professional who uses cherries as an ingredient decides to remove them or leave them for their creations.
Although many believe that cherry stems are useless, we are going to show you why many professionals prefer cherries in syrup with stems to include them in desserts or savory dishes.
How professionals use cherries in syrup
As that French song said: “the time for cherries is short”, specifically from April to June, or July in the later species. During those months you can taste the cherries just picked from the trees, but fortunately, thanks to cherries in syrup, or candied cherries, we can enjoy this magnificent fruit throughout the year and, what is better, it allows chefs to and pastry chefs use it in their dishes and desserts at any time without waiting for the cherry season to arrive.
Cherries are used above all in classic desserts such as Black Forest Tart, cherry tart and clafoutis, but also to make breads, cakes, jams, compotes, sauces, ice creams, sorbets, milkshakes and highly appreciated liqueurs such as kirsch or the maraschino. In addition, they combine very well with yogurt, honey or certain cheeses such as ricotta or mascarpone.
In savory dishes, they are widely used to make cherry gazpacho or salmorejo, which has become very popular in recent years, and salads with beetroot, carrot and avocado.
As the cherry is an acidic fruit, it is ideal as an accompaniment to fatty meats, such as duck, to prepare a delicious magret with red fruits, or also to make sauces or vinaigrettes to accompany oily fish, such as tuna or sardine, or white fish such as sea bass or hake.
Cherries in syrup with stem or without stem
Anyone would think that the first thing to do when handling a cherry is to remove the stem, but many kitchen professionals prefer to leave it in certain dishes and desserts because it brings elegance and good presence, especially if the cherries fulfill the function of decorating the final product.
A very clear example is that of sour cherries, which are almost essential to present cakes with a different and unique color. Hence the expression “the icing on the cake”.
We must know that when the stem of a cherry is pulled out, mushrooms immediately form around that small incision that has just been opened. In fact, if it is not consumed quickly after removing the stem, it should be thrown away because its flavor changes and it is not as delicious as the cherry with the original stem.
Picotas, on the other hand, when the stems fall off, the hole they leave heals very well and can be marketed without any problem during the summer. Cherries are more delicate in that regard. For this reason, the professional who uses cherries in his preparations has to decide whether to dispense with the stem or leave it.
It is important to buy natural cherries with stems, since if they do not have stems they can be easily contaminated and can spoil quickly. Although, as we have said, you can buy cherries in syrup with stems or without stems that have been treated so that they maintain all their properties for a long period of time. In fact, professionals always have a large stock of this product, since at room temperature they last a long time and are always ready for use.
Cherries in syrup with stems: how do the professionals use them?
Chefs and pastry chefs constantly use cherries in syrup or natural cherries in their creations, sometimes they prefer them with stems and others without stems, especially when they use them chopped or in halves. Let’s see some examples:
- Chicken salad with chickpeas and cherries: the cherries can be served as a side with the stem or directly on the chopped salad, without the stem and without the bone.
- Cherry tartlets with cream cheese: in this dessert the cherries are served without stems and in small pieces on top of the cream cheese.
- Cheese cake with almonds and cherries: it can be served as a cake or also in glasses using a cream cheese. In both cases, cherries with stems are used and the diner removes them when they go to eat them.
In general, when the cherry appears whole in the dessert, for example when it is dipped in chocolate, the stem is preserved, not only so that the diner can better pick it up to eat, but also because it makes the presentation more attractive and elegant. In the case of cakes, when the cherries are placed on the surface to decorate, it is usual to remove the stems because on a visual level they provide greater beauty and color, although everything will depend on the effect that the master confectioner wants to convey.
At Lazaya we offer professionals stemmed and stemless cherries in syrup, with different sizes, brix and packaging. A wide catalog of cherries in syrup of the highest quality. Contact us and tell us what you need. We can make a custom order for you. Talk later?
