Cherry season is just beginning and there are lots of dessert possibilities, among them my favorite summer pie (Cherry Berry Peach Pie), a Provençal Clafouti aux Cerises, and the Italian Liquore di Ciliegie (Cherry Liqueur), to name a few.
A couple of weeks ago, we continued our now-monthly dinners on Zoom with Becky and David, Mark’s sister-in-law and brother. As with so many Zoom things, we started this during the pandemic, and have enjoyed it so much that we all asked ourselves, “Why stop?”
We take turns choosing the menu, which always has its challenges; we need to be able to complete the whole menu during an hour of cooking together online, before moving our respective cameras to our respective tables and dining “together” two-thousand miles apart.
Long-simmering and slow-roasting are not practical. And many desserts take even more time. This kind of challenge is fun for the four of us, and we have enjoyed pulling together each month’s menu. For our May dinner, I created this dessert which combines two of my favorite flavors — cherry and almond.
~ David
Cherry-Almond Fool
Click icon below to print recipe!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces sweet dark or red cherries, pitted (7 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup mascarpone, room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, very cold
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 amaretti, crumbled, for garnish
- optional further garnishes: additional cherries and/or mint leaves
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine the cherries, lemon, and granulated sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Let cook 5 minutes, or until the fruit breaks down and pink foam rises to the surface. Remove from heat and transfer to a food processor; let cool.
- Once the cherry mixture is completely cool, add the mascarpone and purée — about 10 seconds with a break to scrape down the sides of the processor. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Sift the powdered sugar into the cream and add the extracts; continue beating until stiff peaks form.
- Add the puréed fruit to the whipped cream and gently fold it in. Divide between two wine glasses and chill, covered, for at least an hour. Just before serving, top with crumbled amaretti and half a cherry, if you have any leftover.
- Serves 2, but can be doubled or tripled.
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Suzo
June 11, 2022 at 6:49 amTHAT.SOUNDS.DELICIOUS.
Cocoa & Lavender
June 11, 2022 at 7:57 amIt is really good and so easy! Hope all is good with you and Brian!
John / Kitchen Riffs
June 11, 2022 at 7:39 amCherries and almonds are such a gorgeous combo, flavorwise. And cherries always look gorgeous. So I guess I’m saying this is one gorgeous dish. 🙂 Really, really nice — thanks.
Cocoa & Lavender
June 11, 2022 at 7:57 amThanks, John — they are an amazing combination and this dessert really shows off their flavors!
Jeff the Chef
June 11, 2022 at 8:46 amI spend the summers in a cherry growing region, and I think I’ve had cherry everything, from cherry barbecue sauce to cherry peanut butter. How is it that I’ve not had a cherry fool? So, I know what my new summer project is going to be…
Cocoa & Lavender
June 11, 2022 at 10:02 amYou hadn’t made this because neither of us had created it yet! It’s a really nice dessert, especially after something heavy!
Jill Becker
June 11, 2022 at 9:15 amOh my such a lovely dessert. Can’t wait to try this.
Cocoa & Lavender
June 11, 2022 at 10:03 amI can assure you that it’s one you will make again and again, Jill.
Chef Mimi
June 11, 2022 at 10:09 amWhat a lovely dessert. I love cherries so much. And I love this zoom business! So nice to know people strange enough to do this with you!!!!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 11, 2022 at 10:28 amMe, too, Mimi — such a wonderful and versatile fruit! For people we can’t see in person, zoom has been wonderful… and continues to be so!
Marcelle
June 11, 2022 at 11:07 amDavid, I remember you telling me how much you both enjoyed your Zoom dinner parties, I’m so glad you are continuing with them! Some good things did come from that crazy time!! 😊 This Cherry-Almond Fool is definitely my kind of dessert, it’s now a must try for me this summer! Gorgeous, bright pictures in the post, I love it!! 😍🍒
Cocoa & Lavender
June 11, 2022 at 11:18 amIt really is a lot of fun, especially since we doing it now because we want to (as opposed to being shut in). I think you, Evan, and the kids will love this dessert!
Ronit Penso Tasty Eats
June 11, 2022 at 11:55 amI often pair cherries with almonds, as they pair so well together, so love the idea of this take on Fool (Brits have such quirky names for dishes!).
This reminds me of another quick fruity British dessert – Eton Mess – which I make often in the summer. I posted my version last summer. Maybe it’ll fit with your zoom menus. 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
June 12, 2022 at 10:12 amI love a good Eaton Mess, though have never blogged it. It’s a great way to enjoy summer’s bounty, Ronit! Hope you try the fool!
Ronit
June 19, 2022 at 10:18 amI didn’t find any decent fresh cherries this week, not sure why. I’m debating if frozen cherries would work the same.
However, I still was in the mood for fool, so used cooked rhubarb instead of cherries. 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
June 19, 2022 at 11:23 amThe very first fool I ever had was rhubarb – just love it!
Eha
June 11, 2022 at 4:07 pmThe Antarctic cold is so bad here at the moment that your gorgeously photographed bowl of cherries seems to belong to another world ! Cannot wait ! Glad to see you are keeping the Zoom-fun going . . . and shall keep your recipe on file for both cherries and friends to arrive . . . best . . .
Cocoa & Lavender
June 12, 2022 at 10:13 amYes, I thought of you when I posted but, as I said in IG, the months will pass quickly.
Sherry M
June 11, 2022 at 10:49 pmthis sounds so delicious david. i love cherries! gotta wait till november though as the season is so short!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 12, 2022 at 10:14 amNovember is just a slippery skip in the wood away. Heat wave here now… We all have our meteorological heavens and hells, don’t we. Sherry?
Sippitysup
June 12, 2022 at 8:04 amAh cherries. This post scratched an itch I didn’t even know was there. I’m on a Greek island and have had no stone fruits (a staple in my LA life) for a couple of months. This is also the one of first blog I’ve visited in the same amount of time. I wonder if that means I’ve begun to miss my regular life. GREG
Reply
Cocoa & Lavender
June 12, 2022 at 10:16 amI’m honored, Greg. I never thought about the lack of stone fruits in Greece — specifically on Sifnos. Your regular life will welcome you back with open arms.
Gerlinde de Broekert
June 12, 2022 at 9:04 amI saw cherries today here in Copenhagen. My favorite are sour cherries but they are almost impossible to get in SantaCruz. Your dessert looks very good band easy to make.
Cocoa & Lavender
June 12, 2022 at 10:17 amI love the tart cherries, too, Gerlinde — and I bet they would be wonderful in this!
Carolyne
June 12, 2022 at 1:17 pmAnother brilliant dessert that sounds so easy to make!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 16, 2022 at 7:41 amThanks, Carolyne. It is really easy and is very nice (and pretty) for serving guests!
Ron
June 13, 2022 at 5:23 amAs always David, a masterpiece. We are just now seeing Spanish cherries in our markets as our local (across the street in a neighbor’s yard) cherries still have a few weeks to ripen. Now, those lovely Spanish cherries would work fine, but I’m saving this fool for use with those tree-ripened cherries across the street. Unless the birds get them first.
Cocoa & Lavender
June 16, 2022 at 7:42 amThanks so much Ron – you are so kind. I would definitely wait for the neighbor’s cherries, and considering the shooing of the birds part of your exercise regime.
Raymund
June 16, 2022 at 2:35 amSuch a nice dessert! Now I am craving for cherries
Cocoa & Lavender
June 16, 2022 at 7:43 amThanks, Raymund. I bet you could make an incredible ube version!
Valentina
June 16, 2022 at 11:57 amI LOVE cherry season! This is on my summer dessert list. 🙂 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
June 19, 2022 at 11:22 amIt is such a nice summer dessert — so little fuss and such great payback!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
June 17, 2022 at 11:53 amOh cherries! The season has started in our area, but somehow they’re still ridiculously overpriced (And as a cheap and patient guy, I can wait a bit longer D) But I’m a huge fan of easy desserts that basically require only mixing or layering things, so this is right up my alley. Great flavours here!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 19, 2022 at 11:23 amIt will be worth waiting for, Ben! Cherries are the bomb!
2pots2cook
June 23, 2022 at 3:32 amThe ingredients are so inviting; creamy Mascarpone, cherries, vanilla, amaretti and no bake! Perfect to enjoy tasty dessert after light dinner!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 23, 2022 at 9:06 amYes, the no cooking aspect of this in the hot weather is really appealing! Glad you like the recipe, Davorka.
Spiced Rhubarb Fool – Tasty Eats
June 26, 2022 at 9:01 am[…] cherry-almond version, from “Cocoa and Lavender” blog, can be found HERE, along with many other tasty […]
John
July 3, 2022 at 2:49 amThe combination of cherries, decadent cream and aromatic almond sure gets my attention. In fact, anything with cherries does!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 4, 2022 at 5:42 amMe, too, John. I wish cherry season wasn’t so short!
Christina Conte
July 20, 2022 at 6:12 pmLooks so lovely! I’m sure it was all polished off in no time! 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
July 23, 2022 at 7:57 amKnowing what is in it, I was surprised at how light it felt — and, yes, it disappeared very quickly!