Cherry-Chocolate Shortcakes with Kirsch Whipped Cream

Decadent chocolate-studded shortcakes filled with brandied cherries and whipped cream. These elegant desserts combine rich chocolate shortcake biscuits with fresh Bing cherries macerated in kirsch and topped with kirsch-flavored whipped cream.

8 servings

4 hr 18 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•2 cups all purpose flour
•¼ cup sugar
•1 tablespoon baking powder
•½ teaspoon salt
•½ cup unsalted butter
•3 ounces semisweet chocolate
•½ cup whole milk
•1 whole large egg
•1½ pounds fresh Bing cherries
•¼ cup sugar
•1 tablespoon kirsch
•⅓ cup cherry jam
•1½ cups whipping cream
•2 tablespoons sugar
•1 tablespoon kirsch

Cooking Instructions

1.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl; whisk to blend. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in chocolate. Beat milk and egg in small bowl to blend. Gradually add milk mixture to dry ingredients, tossing until dough comes together in moist clumps. Gather dough together. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and gently knead 5 turns to combine. Shape gently into 8-inch-long log. Cut log crosswise into 8 rounds; shape each into 2 1/2x3/4-inch round. Arrange rounds on prepared baking sheet.
20 min
2.
Bake biscuits until bottoms are golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool on rack 15 minutes. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cool completely. Wrap in foil and rewarm in 350°F oven 10 minutes before continuing.)
30 min
3.
Combine cherries, sugar, and kirsch in medium bowl. Let stand until sugar dissolves and juices form, tossing occasionally, about 3 hours. Strain cherry juices into heavy medium saucepan. Mix in jam. Cook over medium heat until jam melts and juices form thick syrup, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Mix syrup into cherries. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
188 min
4.
Beat cream, sugar, and kirsch in large bowl until peaks form. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours.
10 min
5.
Cut warm biscuits horizontally in half. Place bottom halves in shallow bowls. Spoon cherry mixture and cream over. Cover with biscuit tops and serve.
10 min

Ingredients

•2 cups all purpose flour

•¼ cup sugar

•1 tablespoon baking powder

•½ teaspoon salt

•½ cup unsalted butter

•3 ounces semisweet chocolate

•½ cup whole milk

•1 whole large egg

•1½ pounds fresh Bing cherries

•¼ cup sugar

•1 tablespoon kirsch

•⅓ cup cherry jam

•1½ cups whipping cream

•2 tablespoons sugar

•1 tablespoon kirsch

Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl; whisk to blend. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in chocolate. Beat milk and egg in small bowl to blend. Gradually add milk mixture to dry ingredients, tossing until dough comes together in moist clumps. Gather dough together. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and gently knead 5 turns to combine. Shape gently into 8-inch-long log. Cut log crosswise into 8 rounds; shape each into 2 1/2x3/4-inch round. Arrange rounds on prepared baking sheet.

20 min

Bake biscuits until bottoms are golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool on rack 15 minutes. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cool completely. Wrap in foil and rewarm in 350°F oven 10 minutes before continuing.)

30 min

Combine cherries, sugar, and kirsch in medium bowl. Let stand until sugar dissolves and juices form, tossing occasionally, about 3 hours. Strain cherry juices into heavy medium saucepan. Mix in jam. Cook over medium heat until jam melts and juices form thick syrup, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Mix syrup into cherries. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

188 min

Beat cream, sugar, and kirsch in large bowl until peaks form. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours.

10 min

Cut warm biscuits horizontally in half. Place bottom halves in shallow bowls. Spoon cherry mixture and cream over. Cover with biscuit tops and serve.

10 min