Can I Use Fresh Cherries In The Black Forest Brownies?

Our answer

Nigella's Black Forest Brownies (from COOK, EAT, REPEAT) are squidgy brownies studded with hazelnuts and dried cherries that have been soaked in kirsch. This gives the brownies a "black forest" flavour, along with the addition of some woodsy chopped rosemary.

During testing a variety of different cherries were used and Nigella found that dried cherries were the best option as they do not let out too much liquid during cooking, the kirsch adds extra flavour and the brownies can be stored at cool room temperature in an airtight container. Fresh, frozen and drained, canned cherries tend to let out liquid when they bake and this can affect the texture of the brownies. In addition, all of these options meant that the brownies have to be stored in the fridge and eaten more quickly. So we prefer to use the kirsch-plumped dried cherries for the brownies. You could always serve the brownies with whipped cream and some fresh cherries for a black forest gateau feel.