Preserved Cherries

If you don’t mind cutting the cherry in half, they’re easy to pit without any special tools.  Just treat ripe cherries like a mini avocado.  Run a paring knife in a circle around the pit and twist gently to pull apart.  For firm berries, carefully shave the fruit off the pit in two or three pieces.

Preserved Cherries in Chocolate Liqueur
makes 1 large bottle

3 cups cherries, well-washed and pitted
1 cup sugar
pinch cinnamon

1/2 cup chocolate liqueur, or as desired

In a small saucepan, combine cherries, sugar, and cinnamon.  (For extra syrup:  add 1/4 cup water.)  Melt over low heat.  Bring to a boil for 3-5 minutes.  Turn off the heat and let it cool.  Add 1/2 cup chocolate liqueur, or to taste.  Use as needed and refrigerate remaining cherries.

Serve over vanilla ice cream or pound cake.

Chocolate Liqueur
1 bottle

1 bottle rum or spiced rum, minus 1 cup
1 cup cacao nibs

sugar syrup

Funnel cacao nibs into bottled rum and let it sit for 3-4 weeks.  Add sugar syrup to your taste.