Ingredients
| 4 medium eggs | |
| 150g caster sugar, plus 2 tablespoons if using fresh cherries | |
| 100g flour | |
| 30g cocoa | |
| ½ teaspoon baking powder | |
| 25g butter, melted | |
| 300g fresh cherries, halved and stones removed, or 1 x 425g can cherries, drained, juice reserved | |
| 4 tablespoons Grand Marnier, kirsch or brandy | |
| 250g ricotta | |
| 2 tablespoons icing sugar | |
| 200ml cream, whipped | |
| CHERRY SORBET | |
| ¼ cup sugar | |
| 1 tablespoon lemon juice | |
| 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier, kirsch or brandy (optional) | |
| 500g frozen cherries |
This zuccotto-style dessert can be made with fresh or canned cherries. Serve with a very easy sorbet of frozen cherries if you fancy. This one is boozy, which helps the texture when freezing; you could leave out the spirits, but it will freeze firmer.
Instructions
| 1. | Heat the oven to 180°C. |
| 2. | Grease and line the base of a 30cm x 20cm Swiss-roll tin. |
| 3. | In a bowl whisk together the eggs, 150g sugar and a pinch of salt until thick and pale. |
| 4. | Sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder together over the mixture and gently fold in. Fold in the butter. |
| 5. | Spoon into the prepared tin and bake for 15 minutes. Cool on a rack. |
| 6. | If using fresh cherries, put them in a saucepan with 2 tablespoons sugar and 100ml water. |
| 7. | Cover and simmer over a very low heat for 10 minutes until tender. |
| 8. | Strain the cherries and set aside, reserving the juice. |
| 9. | Measure out 100ml of cherry juice and stir in half the Grand Marnier or brandy and set aside. |
| 10. | Place the ricotta, icing sugar and remaining Grand Marnier or brandy in a bowl and beat until smooth. |
| 11. | Fold in the poached cherries and whipped cream. |
| 12. | Line a cake tin with plastic wrap, cut the sponge in half (or to fit your tin) and put one half in the bottom of the tin. |
| 13. | Moisten with half the reserved cherry juice. |
| 14. | Spread the ricotta mixture over the chocolate sponge. |
| 15. | Cover with the remaining piece of chocolate sponge (cut to fit the tin) and drizzle with remaining juice. |
| 16. | Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until needed. |
| 17. | To serve, take out of the freezer 15 minutes before serving. |
| 18. | Serve with cherry sorbet if liked. |
| 19. | CHERRY SORBET |
| 20. | Place the sugar and 150ml water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil, boiling until the sugar is dissolved. |
| 21. | Add the lemon juice and booze, if using, and leave to cool. |
| 22. | Place the frozen cherries in a blender or food processor and blend to a pulp. |
| 23. | With the motor running add the sugar syrup and blend to a creamy sorbet. |
| 24. | Put in a container and freeze until needed. |
| 25. | Remove from the freezer 20 minutes before serving. |
Recipes and food styling Fiona Smith / Photography Aaron McLean / Styling Fiona Lascelles
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