Sweet Cherry Parfait
Indulge in this treat and feel really good about yourself while you’re at it. Sweet Bing Cherries with a hint of Brandy are layered with sweetened Greek Yogurt. Tastes decadent, but don’t let that fool you. It’s so full of good-for-you things you can have it for breakfast, enjoy for lunch, or what the heck? Make it a dessert.
Ingredients
- 4-5 cups fresh sweet cherries washed, pitted, and halved
- 1- cup water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/8- teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 2 tablespoons Brandy or alcohol of your choice
- 32 ounces low-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons Agave or honey to taste
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, combine cherries and water.
- In a small bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Pour over cherries and stir to mix.
- Cook cherries on the stovetop over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils. Add butter, and then add Brandy. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking on a low simmer until cherries are softened – this will probably take about five minutes.
- Remove from heat and set aside. When mixture gets to room temperature, chill in refrigerator until ready to use.
- For the Greek Yogurt: Place yogurt in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for at least two hours or overnight. This will create a thick yogurt that resembles softened cream cheese. Stir in agave or honey and taste – you might like it a little sweeter, and just add some more if you do.
- To serve: Using a parfait glass or fruit jar (or whatever you feel like for that matter), dollop a layer of the sweetened yogurt in the bottom, add a layer of the cherry mixture, then repeat. That’s all there is to it – dive right in.
- Note: If you happen to make more parfaits than you can eat (ha ha), just cover and store and chill. This keeps beautifully in the refrigerator and looks great the next day.