Summer recipe : Cream cheese fritters with English summer maple cherries

Cream cheese fritters with English summer cherries and pure maple syrup from Quebec make a lovely breakfast, brunch or dessert. The delicate creaminess of the cheese offsets the rich sweetness of the cherries and maple syrup to create a light yet indulgent summer treat.

Cream cheese fritters with English summer maple cherries

Ingredients :

For the fritters:

200g cream cheese

250g cottage cheese, well drained

2 large eggs

1 tsp natural vanilla extract

40g maple sugar

40g chopped raisins

Grated lemon zest

75g plain flour (plus extra for dusting)

4 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp vegetable oil

For the cherries and maple syrup:

175ml pure maple syrup from Quebec

200g fresh cherries

1 lemon, squeezed for juice

Method :

Place cream cheese, cottage cheese, eggs, vanilla extract and sugar in a bowl.

Beat until smooth. Stir in raisins and lemon zest.

Sieve flour and combine.

Cover and refrigerate for four hours, or overnight.

Roll into balls with excess flour, flatten into disks.

Place on baking tray with greaseproof paper.

Melt butter and oil in frying pan and cook fritters for 2 minutes each side until golden brown.

Keep warm in low oven.

Heat maple syrup, lemon juice, cherries and 1 tbsp of water in a pan until cherries become soft.

Serve the fritters warm with cherries.

Any fresh of preserved fruit can be used. All seasonal fruits can be used e.g. poached pears and pineapple would be a good alternative.

Recipe courtesy of @welovemaple.