Thanks to Caffe Vivo, Broad Chare, Newcastle, for this gorgeous recipe for Chocolate and Cherry Crostada
Serves 4
Chocolate Batter
135g Icing sugar
30g Plain flour
8g Cocoa powder
30g Ground almonds
75g Unsalted butter
100g Egg whites
16 Fresh cherries, stoned
Sift the icing sugar, flour, cocoa powder and ground almonds into a large bowl.
Heat the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat until it foams and turns a nut- brown colour. Remove from the heat and whisk into the sifted flour and almond mixture. Then whisk in the egg whites.
Grease four 8cm stainless steel dessert rings and cover the base of each with kitchen foil.
Place 4 stoned cherries in the base of each ring and fill three-quarters full with batter.
Bake at 180˚C for approx 25 mins until well risen and cooked through
Cherry Compote
125g Cherries, stoned
20ml Maraschino liquer
20g Caster sugar
40ml Water
Place cherries in a saucepan with the sugar, Maraschino and water. Simmer gently until the cherries are tender. Serve warm
Assembly
Turn warm cakes into the centre of dessert plates, spoon a little cherry compote over and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
