Tart Bites: Rolled Cherry Sandwiches

Transcribed by Otter.ai; Lightly edited by Linda. Please forgive typos or grammar errors.

Episode 349 - Rolled Cherry Sandwiches

3:46

Linda 00:00

Welcome to Tart Words. I'm your host, Linda Hengerer. And I'm a writer, a reader, and a baker. I talk to writers about their latest book and what inspires them; chat with fellow author Suzanne Fox about what writers can learn from reading their favorite authors; and share fast and easy recipes for anyone looking for a sweet treat. Join me as I share Tart Bites, Tart Thoughts, and Tart Words. 

Today on Tart Bites, I'm talking about little Rolled Cherry Sandwiches. I'm the oldest of three girls and 13 months older than my oldest sister, and almost six years older than my youngest sister. I was born in May, Joanne was born in June. Our birthdays are five weeks apart and during the years that my birthday falls on Mother's Day, her birthday falls on Father's Day. 

We were a grade apart in school and had a lot of the same neighborhood friends. My mother hosted a joint birthday party for us in between our birthdays, usually after school ended. She made beautifully decorated cakes. I particularly remember a doll cake with a Barbie doll in the center of a Bundt cake and the cake decorated as her skirt. 

She would make little rolled sandwiches in different flavors for special occasions. And I remember how the maraschino cherry juice would color the cherry sandwiches pink. This is my take on her recipe and can be adapted to use as a filling for Danish pastries. 

Ingredients:

Cream cheese softened to room temperature (I use 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese also known as Neufchatel)

Cherries, chopped – I use jarred, but if you're using fresh or frozen omit the juice

1 Tablespoon confectioner’s sugar

3 Tablespoons juice from the jar of cherries

2 teaspoons of flavored sugar, optional. I used Florida Sunshine Sugar from the Spice and Tea Exchange

White bread, crusts cut off 

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and use a rubber spatula to fold cherries, juice, and sugars into the cream cheese. Refrigerate for at least two hours for best flavor. 

To make rolled sandwiches, use a rolling pin to roll the bread flat. Drop about a tablespoon of cherry cream cheese onto the bread and spread to cover the entire slice. Roll up like a cigar, wrap in wax paper to maintain the roll shape, and place in an airtight container. Refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight. 

To serve: Slice off the very edges and slice the remaining rolled sandwich into small rounds. Place on individual plates or a serving platter. 

These sweet and tangy rolled cherry sandwiches bring back memories of long ago birthdays. I have young great-nieces now who would love these for an afternoon snack or tea party. This cherry cream cheese would be delicious on a toasted bagel or English muffin for a sweet breakfast treat. 

Thank you for joining me this week. To view the complete show notes and the links mentioned in today's episode, visit tartwords.com/tart349. Before you go, Follow or Subscribe for free to the podcast to receive new episodes when they're released. Follow now in the app you're using to listen to this podcast, or sign up for email alerts through an easy signup form for bakers, readers, and writers at tartwords.com/about. Thank you again for joining me, Linda Hengerer, for this episode of Tart Bites.