cherry-amaretto jam
for a chocolate cherry cake!
Hey loves, I made this cherry filling for a chocolate cake.
They worked wonderfully together.
prep + method
30 oz dark sweet cherries (I used frozen & thawed them out)
3-4 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
1/2 tsp cornstarch
2 tbsp amaretto
Add the cherries and sugar into a medium saucepan on medium heat. Stir occasionally so that the mixture doesn’t burn.
After the cherries have broken down and released water, turn the heat on high to bring the mixture to a boil. It will be runny at this point. Let boil for a few minutes and then turn the heat back on medium-low. Let simmer for 30 minutes to an hour.
While simmering, add the amaretto. You can also add in a little bit of cornstarch to help it thicken.
Let the mixture cool completely before storing in a jar.
cross section of the cake!
notes
You could definitely enjoy this on toast, but I used it as a cake filling since it’s a bit runnier than your typical jam. I also didn’t add pectin or follow any complicated canning procedure. I think if you keep it refrigerated in an airtight jar, it should be good for 1-2 weeks.
swiss meringue buttercream
I didn’t want the cake to be overly sweet - I used a boxed mix (gasp!) which can be too much sometimes. American buttercream is typically what you’ll find in a store bought cake - it’s made up of butter and powdered sugar. Many people think that this frosting is too sugary, and rightfully so.
Swiss meringue buttercream is made with a whipped sugar/egg white mixture and butter. It’s not too sweet and won’t form a crust when refrigerated. I’ve always used the preppy kitchen recipe and it’s never given me an issue.
SMBC can be a little intimidating at first. The egg whites and sugar have to be whisked over boiling water just until it reaches 160 degrees. If it’s not cooked enough, you’ll have sugary grains in your frosting and run the risk of consuming undercooked eggs. As long as you have a digital thermometer, this step shouldn’t be too scary.
Once the mixture has been heated to the proper temperature, you should immediately whip it in the stand mixer. You’re looking for stiff peaks that hold their shape. You don’t want to undermix it, or else your frosting won’t be fluffy/have structure.
When you have stiff peaks, add in your softened butter. This is where it gets tricky for most people, including myself. If the butter is too cold, it will curdle the mixture and it won’t come together as a smooth frosting. To fix this, simply place the bowl over the stove until the sides warm up a bit. You can also use a hairdryer on the ‘hot’ setting to warm up the sides of the bowl as you mix it. Trust me, it works.
If the mixture is too warm and looks soupy, you can stick it in the fridge for a few minutes. All you need is patience - keep adjusting the temperatures until you achieve that glossy, smooth frosting.
Alsoooo, instead of vanilla extract, I added a little bit of amaretto to the frosting. It tied the cake together perfectly!!!
bonus recipe review!
I wanted to make sugar cookies this week. Not the wrinkly ones - the flat, smooth ones that get iced. I followed a recipe by sugar spun run but it did not turn out the way I expected!!!
The recipe itself was extremely simple:
cream the butter and sugar together
add dry ingredients
let rest for 2 hours
roll out, cut into shapes, bake
Obviously I followed the recipe exactly as it was written down, weighed my flour, properly let the dough rest, etc.
When it was time to take the rested dough out of the fridge and roll it out, it was a bit too firm. Per the recipe’s instructions, I let it warm up on the counter for 10 minutes. It’s so weird, the dough then felt ‘too warm’ to roll out. It was sticking everywhere, breaking apart, and just not cooperating. Looking back, I’m still unsure of where I went wrong.
I realized that I wouldn’t be able to get the smooth cookies I wanted, so I rolled the dough into balls and let it bake :(
I was worried that I wasted the ingredients… BUT they were actually really delicious! They’re soft and chewy, the wrinkly kind of sugar cookies.
ramblings
My current trader joe’s picks
A few of these have been my longtime staples. The olives are newest to the list and really surprised me - they’re smoky, meaty, and not too bitter.
grilled chalkidiki olives
cha siu bao
dark chocolate peanut butter cups
pork & ginger soup dumplings
spiced chai concentrate
Song of the week
for my fellow jangle pop fans
Favorite thanksgiving side
stuffing. always.
Recent ambitions
make a felt ornament + thin out my closet
thanks for reading - hope you all get to enjoy some time off this week :)
That cake looks delicious!