The second-place finisher in our Berry Cherry Challenge was a fantastically delicious dessert!

Chocolate Cherry Croissant Bread Pudding

Second Place winner – Margee Berry of White Salmon, Washington, delighted us with this marvelous bread pudding dessert. Contest judge, Kathy, said, “I am usually not a fan of bread pudding, but this recipe brought together interesting ingredients in a perfect way. It was absolutely delicious and was not difficult to make.”

Kathy is absolutely right.  I made this recipe for the judging panel and again a few days later for a dinner party.  Cheers from everyone!!

The croissants are such a light touch to this pudding allowing the cherry and chocolate flavors to come through.  We are so happy to be able to share it with our readers.

Congratulations Margee!

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CROISSANT BREAD PUDDING WITH SPARKLING SABAYON SAUCE

Ingredients:

Croissant Bread Pudding:

2            large croissants (about 6 ounces each) cut into ½ inch cubes

4            ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate, at least 65% cacao

1/ 2       cup FruitFast Montmorency dried cherries

2            cups half & half

1/ 2       vanilla bean, split lengthwise

2            large eggs

1/ 2       cup sugar

2            Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pats

Sparkling Sabayon Sauce

1/ 2        cup heavy cream

3             large egg yolks

1/ 4        cup sugar

1/3         sparkling wine (non-alcoholic can be used)

3            Tbsp FruitFast tart cherry juice concentrate

Directions:

For croissant bread Pudding:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spread croissant cubes onto a large baking sheet and bake until golden brown about 10 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

2.  Divide chopped chocolate and dried cherries into the bottom of six ¾ cup greased ramekins or custard cups.  Place equal amounts of croissant cubes on next.

3.  Place half & half in medium saucepan then scrape vanilla bean seeds into saucepan; add the bean. Whisk over medium heat until half & half starts to simmer.  Remove the bean.  In a small bowl whisk together eggs and sugar, slowly add ½ cup of half & half to the bowl, return to saucepan and whisk for 1 minute over medium-low.  Pour equal amounts of mixture over croissant cubes.  Dot the tops with the butter pats.  Place ramekins in a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish.  Add enough hot water to the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of ramekins.

4.  Bake bread puddings until set about 40 minutes.  Remove ramekins from baking dish onto wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.  Run a knife around ramekin edges, then un-mold onto dessert plates and top with the sabayon sauce.  Serves 6

For Sparkling Sabayon Sauce:

1.  While bread pudding is baking make sauce by beating the cream in a medium bowl. With mixer until stiff peaks form then refrigerate to keep cold.

2.  Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a medium metal bowl; add the wine and cherry concentrate, set bowl over saucepan with simmer water; whisk constantly until mixture is thick about 6 minutes.  Place the bowl over a large bowl filled halfway with ice and cold water.  Continue whisking mixture in the metal bowl until cooled about 6 minutes more then fold in the whipped cream.  Keep chilled until ready to serve.

With the winners now chosen – and the flour dust finally settled in my kitchen – I want to sincerely thank our FruitFast customers, cooks and chefs, and all our many, many entrants in the Berry Cherry Challenge.

Tart Cherry Berry Cheesecake

How difficult it was to select those initial semi-finalists from an assortment of excellent entrée and dessert recipes.  Such a variety of taste-tempting submissions like Fettuccine with Prosciutto in a Cherry Goat Cheese Sauce, Grapefruit n’ Edamame Guacamole, Blue Cheese Cranberry Cabbage Chicken Salad Sandwiches, Tart Cherry Berry Cheesecake (pictured) and countless others.

But not to worry.  We will share these wonderful recipes on our recipe blog and will look forward to receiving your comments, suggestions and future submissions.  Feel free to submit a favorite recipe or idea to me whenever the urge strikes.

The Challenge has confirmed how many talented and innovative culinary types there are.  One of the best aspects of this contest has been the contacts I have had with many of you.  Please stay or get in touch with me as I value your input and perspective on anything related to food.

Here’s to healthy eating and joy of cooking!

French gastronomy author, Jean Brillat-Savarin, once said;  “The discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of humanity than the discovery of a new star.”

Photo courtesy of Taste of Home

I agree and that’s why the last few weeks reviewing recipe entries for FruitFast’s Berry Cherry Challenge has been such a pleasurable journey, full of new ideas, methods and culinary pairings offered by chefs and cooks from all around the country.

First, the response to the contest has been outstanding – better than anticipated – but even more heartening has been my contact with submitters through emails and notes.  The enthusiasm for your craft – and I believe it’s a finely-honed art requiring concentration and skill at this level – has been heart-warming and contagious.  Thanks for making the Challenge such a fun and rewarding experience.  We’ll be announcing the winners April 30^th!

With Easter and Passover, we usher in a new season of entertaining, and that means plenty of time planning and preparing meals – as the kitchen becomes the heart of the household for congregating and conversation.

Enjoy that experience of providing not only sustenance, but healthful eating and discovery for those you love.

What a wonderful response to FruitFast’s first ever Berry Cherry Challenge!

www.speckmanphotography.com

Thanks to all of you who took the time and made the effort to submit your original recipes using FruitFast products — everything from tart cherry juice and fruit liquids to FruitFast’s dried cherries, blueberries and cranberries are featured in all kinds of intriguing entrées and desserts — now it’s our turn to begin the fun part of the process  — choosing  the winners.

Due to the hefty number of responses, we changed the winners’ announcement date to Friday, April 30. That’s when we’ll be sharing the winning recipes and hand out the prizes.

Stay tuned and get all the latest information right here and on our Facebook page!

While browsing my local newspaper this past week, I came across a marvelous recipe for a snack bar. The newspaper cited thenourishinggourmet.com as the source of the recipe. I substituted dried cherries for the raisins and added some dark chocolate chips—and truthfully I am having a hard time staying away from these. My local newspaper indicated that you can add or take away any nut, seed and/or dried fruit, but I love this combination. I, also, did not add any additional salt to the recipe (it called for 1/2 tsp), as the nuts and seeds I used were already salted.  The original recipe called for 1 tsp of cinnamon.  I missed adding the cinnamon to my recipe and found the taste to still be wonderfully delicious.  I was busy cleaning my kitchen and allowed the bars to cool longer than the recommended 20 minutes and the honey was too cool to adequately solidify the bars, so my bars were a bit more crumbly and not as pretty as the picture on the website.  The nut bars are really very simple and quick to make—and if not crumbly, will be easy to take with you wherever you go for a great energy pick-me-up.

Ingredients:

Nut Flour:

1/2 cup cashews
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup almonds

Nut Mixture:

1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup Brownwood Acres Dried Tart Cherries
1/2 tsp salt (do not use, if nuts and/or seeds are already salted)
1 tsp cinnamon (optional, but add if not using chocolate chips)
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup high quality coconut oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease with coconut oil a 9 x 13 casserole dish.

For nut flour, place 1/2 cup cashews, cup of pumpkin seeds and cup of almonds in a food processor and grind into a coarse nut flour; be careful not to grind into a paste. Transfer the nut flour to a medium bowl and stir in the sunflower seeds, 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, dried cherries, salt and cinnamon (if using) and chocolate chips.

In a small saucepan, melt the honey and coconut oil over medium heat, do not boil. Pour the honey/oil mixture over the nut mixture and stir to coat evenly. Press the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned.

Allow to cool for 20 minutes, then gently cut and remove the bars. At this point, if they fall apart, they can be pressed back together.  Place the bars on a plate to cool further. As they cool they will harden, as the honey acts like glue. After they cool, place in an airtight container.

Time to enter the Berry Cherry Challenge from Brownwood Acres/ FruitFast!  It’s our first ever recipe contest sponsored by the industry leader of natural, all-fruit products promoting healthy living.

Whether you consider yourself an amateur cook or a gourmand, the winning original recipe entrant using FruitFast products will receive their choice of either a new KitchenAid Mixer or a $250 cash prize!

The Berry Cherry Challenge entries will be accepted now through Tuesday, April 5.  The top three winners will be announced on Wednesday, April 20.  Second and third place winners will receive $125 and $75 respectively of FruitFast products.  Plus the first 25 contest entrants will receive $2 off any Brownwood Acres/ FruitFast product of their choice just for entering!

The two contest categories are Entrées and Desserts.  The possibilities for imaginative recipes is almost limitless, especially when submissions incorporate Brownwood Acres/ FruitFast products and our extensive line of super fruit juice concentrates, dried fruits, fruit liquid varieties of CherryFlex, Mixed Berry and Wonderful Pomegranate.

The first phase judging criteria will be based on originality, ease of preparation and creative use of the FruitFast products.

Successful submissions moving on to Phase II will be judged on originality,  ease of preparation, taste, and creative use of fruit.  The panel will prepare and judge the final entries based on this criteria.

Contestants must be 18 or older, residents of the US or the District of Columbia.  Original recipes created by the entrant may be submitted with entry form as an attachment by email to debbie@fruitfast.com or mail to:   FruitFast/ Berry Cherry Challenge, PO Box 261,  Traverse City, MI  49685-0261.  Entries may be faxed to 231.947.1408.

Berry Cherry Challenge recipes may also be accompanied with photos or video, and while encouraged, are not necessary.  See complete recipe contest rules at www.berrycherrychallenge.com.

Be sure to check the Brownwood Acres website, Berry Cherry Challenge website, and the FruitFast Facebook page often for contest updates, reminders and the winners!

Don’t wait –  let’s get cookin’!

What makes this date bar unusual is the orange flavor that blends so well with the tart cherries.  Adapted from a recipe on food.com, try adding your favorite addition like walnuts and coconut.  Serve with vanilla ice cream drizzled with FruitFast Liquid Mixed Berry or CherryFlex for a dynamite dessert duo.

Ingredients:

8 ounces     pitted dates, chopped
3/4 cup      orange juice, divided
1/2 cup       Brownwood Acres dried tart cherries, divided
1 Tbsp         orange zest (optional)
1 1/2 cups   quick-cooking oats
1 1/2 cups   all-purpose flour
1/3 cup        brown sugar, packed
1/4 tsp         baking soda
1/4 tsp         salt
1/3 cup        reduced-calorie butter or margarine, melted
2 Tbsp          honey

Directions:

Cook dates with 1/2 cup juice, in saucepan, 5 minute or until thickens.  Stir in remaining juice, 1/3 cup Brownwood Acres dried cherries, and orange peel. Combine sugar and honey in bowl.  Add oats flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in bowl.

Slowly add margarine until combined. Press 2/3 of oat mixture onto bottom of 8″ or 9″ square pan.  Spread date filling over crust.  Stir remaining 1/4 cup dried cherries into oat mixture.  Cover filling with crust.  Press down firmly.

Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until lightly brown.

Let cool and cut into squares.

Yield: 16 bars

Photo by Eating Well

These muffins take a little prep time, but are so delicious. Prepare on the weekend for a healthy “grab-n-go” breakfast, or make a double batch and freeze half. These make a super afternoon or evening snack, as well. Perfect with a hot cup of tea, while you watch the snow fall. If you’re adventurous, drizzle your favorite “FruitFast Liquid Fruit Supplement” over the top.  It’s a derivation on “Eating Well’s Pineapple Upside-Down Muffin ” recipe from their Winter 2004 magazine.

Ingredients:

Topping
2 Tbsp packed light brown sugar
2 Tbsp chopped walnuts, or pecans
1 10-ounce can pineapple slices or pineapple chunks (do not drain)

Muffins
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
2 Tbsp pineapple juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, (not drained)
1 cup grated carrot, (1 large)
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
3/4 cup Brownwood Acres Dried Tart Cherries
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray. Place dried cherries in a small bowl. Cover with pineapple juice from the 10-oz can (reserving 2 Tbsp) and set aside.

Topping: Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar into each muffin cup. Sprinkle nuts over the sugar. If using the pineapple slices, stack and cut into 6 wedges. If using the pineapple chunks, cut into thirds to create thin wedges of pineapple. Place 2 wedges in each muffin cup.

Muffins:
Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. In a separate medium bowl, whisk eggs and brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in oil, the reserved 2 Tbsp of pineapple juice and vanilla. Stir in the 8-oz can of crushed pineapple (with juice). Make a well in the dry ingredients; add the wet ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until combined. Drain the cherries and add to the mixture. Stir in carrot, oats, and nuts. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups. The muffin cups will be quite full.

Bake the muffins until the tops are golden brown and firm to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes. Immediately loosen edges and turn muffins out onto a baking sheet. Restore any stray pineapple pieces and nuts. Let cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve upside-down.

Yield: 12 muffins

NOTE: For mini muffins use half the recipe and one pineapple wedge for each muffin. Your kids will love these pop-in-your mouth treats

Cherry Nut Swirls come from one of my favorite cookbooks, Country Cooking, with a few improvements that make it even better.  It’s a refrigerator cookie that requires chilling the dough for at least 4 hours.  Overnight is fine, too, or even longer is okay to fit your busy Holiday schedule.  Unique in taste and pleasing to the eye!

Ingredients:

1     cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup finely chopped Brownwood Acres Dried Tart Cherries
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 Tbsp grated orange peel
3 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp milk

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy. combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Combine dried cherries, walnuts and orange peel; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 10-inch square. Combine brown sugar and milk; spread over the dough. Sprinkle dried cherry mixture to within 1/2 inch of edges; roll up tightly, jelly-roll style. Wrap in waxed paper; chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove waxed paper. Cut into 1/4 inch slices and place 1 inch apart on well-greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 14-15 minutes or until edges are light brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Yield:  about 2 1/2 dozen

Serve this versatile dessert – from Cooking Light – warm just after cooking, or make it ahead of time, refrigerate, and serve chilled.

Photo: Karry Hosford

Ingredients:

Pudding:

3-1/2   cups  2% reduced-fat milk, divided
1/2       cup uncooked Arborio rice or other short-grain rice
1/3      cup sugar
1          Tbsp butter
1          large egg
1          tsp vanilla extract

Syrup:

1          cup pomegranate juice (add 1-2 Tbsp FruitFast Pomegranate Juice Concentrate to 1 cup water)
1/4      cup sugar
6          Tbsp pomegranate seeds (in the produce section of your supermarket) or dried fruit from Brownwood Acres/ FruitFast.

Directions:

To prepare pudding, combine 3 cups milk, rice, 1/3 cup sugar, and butter in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat.

Combine 1/2 cup milk and egg, stirring with a whisk.  Gradually stir about one-fourth of warm rice mixture into egg mixture; add to pan, stirring constantly. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.

To prepare syrup: Combine juice and 1/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer until reduced to 1/3 cup (about 20 minutes), stirring frequently.

Drizzle the syrup evenly over pudding, and sprinkle with seeds.

Variation: Prepare the pudding per directions, drizzle FruitFast Pomegranate Liquid Fruit Supplement (or Supplement of your choice) over the pudding.  If using FruitFast Cherryflex Liquid Fruit Supplement or FruitFast Mixed Berry Liquid Fruit Supplement, garnish with shaved almonds or walnuts.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup pudding, about 1 tablespoon syrup, and 1 tablespoon seeds)