The first few weeks of summer bring much-anticipated sweet cherries to the mountains. Lines weave in and out of the farmers markets as shoppers wait to fill their baskets and bags with the first of summer’s fruits. The earliest cherries lack the round and exaggerated sweetness of the later fruits, but we delight in them anyway. Roasting them deepens their flavor and amplifies their sugars. I serve the roasted cherries on their own, or with pillows of whipped raw cream in a simple fruit fool. A lovely combination of fruit and whipped cream, fools come together in just a few minutes for a simple dessert with an old-fashioned charm.
SERVES: 4 TO 6
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 pounds sweet cherries, such as Bing
- 1 tablespoon unrefined cane sugar
- Pinch of finely ground unrefined sea salt
- 1 tablespoon kirsch
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean powder or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 Honey Meringues, coarsely chopped
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Remove the pits from the cherries and drop them into a mixing bowl.
- Add sugar, salt, and kirsch, then toss the cherries until evenly coated.
- Transfer the cherries to a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and spread them into a single layer.
- Roast for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring once, until they release their fragrance.
- Allow the cherries to cool to room temperature for about 20 minutes.
- Pour the cream into a bowl and add the vanilla. Whip with a whisk until the cream holds soft peaks.
- Stir the cherries and their juice into the whipped cream and fold in the chopped meringues.
- Serve in individual glasses or bowls.
