Versatile cherry sauce

So, we survived another Christmas!  A huge ham dinner for Christmas Eve with vanilla creme brulee (made with my daughter), the traditional mimosas with ham on toast for breakfast and a full turkey dinner for Christmas evening.  Another 363 days to recuperate and get ready to repeat again!

Over the holidays as well as in the midst of summer, I love using cherries in my cooking and baking.  I mix up the traditional thumbprint cookie by using a cherry jam from the farmer's market while the summer brings cherry crumbles. But anytime of year is a great time to try this cherry sauce that works wonders over a vanilla gelato, a warm sponge or  lemon pound cake, or paired with a chocolate molten cake and late harvest wine.

All-Purpose Cherry Sauce

Ingredients
2 cups of cherries, pitted
1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar, pending the sweetest of the cherries
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 - 4 Tbsp brandy, depending on your preference
1.5 Tbsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp cold water

Directions
-Simmer the cherries, 1/3 cup of sugar and cinnamon in a saucepan over low heat for about 25 minutes.  Check the sweetness of the mixture and add more sugar if needed, up to 1/2 cup in total.
-Stir in the brandy .
-In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with the water, then add it into the cherry mixture.  This will help the cherry mixture to thicken while simmering, and in a few minutes, it should resemble a sauce consistency.
-Remove from heat.
-Serve warm or cold.

Note  Try your cherry sauce with:

• duck, venison or other game meat
• chocolate desserts such as molten cake, cheesecake, brownies or a dark chocolate gelato
• a variety of cakes from vanilla sponge or pound cake, lemon cakes, apple cakes, etc.
• with crepes
• over a white chocolate mousse 
• with tiramisu or panna cotta
• serve with pavlova
• over waffles with fresh whipped cream