Cherries on a Cloud {Recipe}

It's cherry season here in California, and I'm enjoying every moment of it!  This past weekend I bought a big bag of cherries from the Farmer's Market, then came home and made this delicious little dessert.  I used fresh cherries for this recipe, but I'm sure you could use frozen (defrosted) cherries, or canned cherry pie filling.  Feel free to try another fruit as well, such as blueberries, strawberries or blackberries.  The base of the dessert (the "cloud") is like a light cheesecake filling, so try topping it with any fruit you enjoy on cheesecake.   

Cherries on a Cloud

1-8oz block of cream cheese

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk or cream

2 cups Cool Whip (or freshly whipped, lightly sweetened whipped cream)

1 1/2 cups fresh cherry halves (or fresh or frozen fruit of your choice)

3 Tablespoons cherry preserves (I used a delicious one from Trader Joe's- their own store brand)

~ Directions ~

Pit fresh cherries and cut in half or quarters.

Put cherry preserves in a small bowl and microwave until warm (about 20 seconds).  Pour cherry preserves over fresh cherries and mix together, then set aside.

Beat cream cheese in the bowl of an eclectic mixer, or with a hand held mixer, until smooth.  Add powdered sugar and milk and continue mixing until fully incorporated and smooth.  Fold Cool Whip into the cream cheese mixture and stir gently until fully combined.  Spoon or into dessert dishes (or fill a piping bag with mixture and pipe into dessert dishes).  Use a spoon to make a well in the center of the cream cheese filling, and fill with cherry topping.   

Chill prepared dessert in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  This dessert may be prepared up to a couple hours in advance.

Makes 8 mini servings or 4-6 medium sized servings.

Final recipe by Glorious Treats.

Inspired by a recipe in A Little Taste of Heaven, by Philadelphia brand cream cheese.