When someone says cherries all I can think of is one tempting cherry sitting majestically atop a very fancy portion of Black Forest gâteau for dessert and its only the dexterity of your hands that will guarantee you get to pop the tasty little treat, of course, cherries have very many applications in baking as I was to find out at the baking day for bloggers organised by French Glacé Cherries(FGC).
We baked delicious Valentine’s treats developed and demonstrated by French baker and blogger Cindy Robert from Petit Gâteau and Food for thoughts.
To get us settled in we had some rather innovative sweet and savoury nibbles – FGC chutney with blue cheese, FGC oatcakes, FGC & chocolate brownies, mini smoothies, mini cheesecakes and my new favorite party nibble idea – crispy bacon rolled around a cherry – it’s so so good!
Images above Courtesy French Glace Cherries
A few interesting facts about French Glacé cherries They retain their flavour, shape and texture throughout the baking process. As such, they offer unbeatable quality, and reliable results every time. Good To know that they are not just apt in a traditional fruit cake, but equally at home in savoury recipes.
A Slice of History
The love affair between French confectioners and the UK goes back as far as 1868.It was then that business man Mathieu Wood, who was travelling in Provence at the time, discovered candied fruits from the Apt region and decided to import and sell them in his shops. It didn’t take long for the quality reputation of Provence glacé fruits to spread to the UK and beyond.
Images Courtesy French Glace Cherries
Around the same time, the British love of the outdoors and the development of the picnic and camping trends encouraged a preference for food that was easy to carry around. The fruit cake became very popular as it was easier to carry than the traditional pudding and offered something a bit more original. Candied fruits and French glacé cherries in particular are fun, novel and allow for a great amount of creativity in recipes. No surprise they quickly became a perfect addition to the fruit cake, and thus an integral part of British baking culture.
We were to bake along with Cindy, who had created two exclusive treats: French Glacé Cherry (FGC) Jelly cakes (a cherry twist on the traditional Jaffa cake) and FGC and Pistachios financiers (also known over here as friands).
I must say baking in a group is really fun vis-a vis’ my usual solitary experiments and that too at the venue which was Central Street Cookery School, at St Luke’s Community Centre was an utterly enjoyable experience.The cookery school is exceptionally well equipped and is a perfect place for all sorts of lovely kitchen experiments ! That is a very happy me melting some chocolate chips -ummm
An attentive audience we were …
My French Glacé Cherry (FGC) Jelly cakes progressed quite well and we got to carry back our bakes home, such fun I say , I had a lovely tea session with my neighbour H and her 5 year old daughter she thoroughly enjoyed the taste of these Jaffa cakes !
But my heart was in the FGC and Pistachios financiers, their eggy aroma and perfect for valentines day shape ummm ,lucky us we got the cute moulds to take home in our rather generously stuffed goody bags with the most cheerful apron I’ve got so far in bright cherry red 🙂
Did you know that it takes about 10 days for a tray of fresh cherries to become glacé cherries
Image Credit: French Glace Cherries
Disclaimer: I was invited by French Glace Cherries to attend the event and bake with Cindy using recipes developed by her. I was not required to write a positive review and was not compensated monetarily for this post. Like all my previous posts about events and reviews, ALL opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
Thanks for sharing! That looks like fun!
Thanks for stopping by Marya! Yes, it was loads of fun!
Oh my goodness – these treats all look lovely! Which one was easier to create than you might have originally thought?
Thanks, Lisa, the French Glace Cherries, and Pistachios financiers were really easy to bake but sound so complex!
I love your baking selection. You have talent!
Oh, it’s Cindy who is the baker who taught us that is talented we were all merely following her instructions 🙂
Ah! That’s awesome!
I love anything with cherries in it. This all looks really good too 🙂
🙂 Oh, Dannii it was delicious!
What SUPER photos and especially the one of you Manjiri! I am so sad I missed that event, as I was invited too! Karen
Thanks for sharing that with us. I was invited and sadly couldn’t attend that day but I can now see what I missed.
aww, Madeleine sorry to hear that, I missed attending an event too last week my wound is acting up while healing…
Thanks, Karen those food photos are courtesy the French Glace website, oh thank you that pic of me was taken by my baking partner 🙂 we teamed up in two’s and baked together 🙂
This baking masterclass looks fantastic. I’ve never baked with glace cherries, the one’s Ive tried from the supermarket are always way too sweet for my liking. I wonder if the French glace cherries are different? I love the sound of the FGC chutney with blue cheese.
It was indeed a fab event Tina. My first bake with glace cherries too.These are just perfect in taste and way better than the supermarket shelf stuff. Ooo that chutney n blue cheese combo was good!
I had fun when I attended this event – learned so much about cherries
Likewise Heidi, me too!
You do get to attend some fun events. I’m rather fond of glace cherries, although I do prefer the undyed ones.
Choclette yes some events are really good fun!we did get to taste 2 different types of glace cherries both were yummmm.
Looks like you had fun Manjiri! I love glace cherries 😉
Yes, it was loads of fun Syl! I love them too!
Isn’t Cindy lovely! I am so sad I missed this one, I had some tummy bug if I remember
Yes, she is really sweet and a fab baker too! Aww poor you, it was a very good event!
Your bakes look amazing! Love the jelly thing, not sure if I would have the patience, but he result looks fab.
Hey Janice that was the tricky bit but Cindy made it really easy for us, besides (shhh) I had a baking partner 😉
Love all those teeny nibbles. I just want to reach in!
Sigh that happens to me each time I see those photos!
I love baking and cooking classes. I hope you had a blast!
Oh yes, I did Morgan! Cheers!
Oh my, what great fun! Wish I could have joined you 🙂
Janie x
Would have loved to take you along Janie!
I am envious. It looks such fun. Next time I am coming with you.
Sure thing Bintu!
Oh I love Glacé cherries all that sugary cherry flavour popping in your mouth. I’m not sure many cherries would find their way into my baking. GG
Umm, I am now in love with glace cherries need to start thinking of a few bakes!
Looks like you had a wonderful time.
Thanks, Nayna, yes indeed I did.