Olive-oil roasted sweet cherries
Cherries (or berries) transform into juicy gems for the caker to
add between cake layers, beside slices, in yeasty bakes or on top
of cream-filled tartlets.

Good olive oil brightens the fruit and, added after cooling, the
oil can remain its herbaceously lush self.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Pit the cherries and cut them into
halves. Place into a shallow-lipped, non-reactive baking tray. Add the
sugar, lemon juice and vanilla bean and gently toss.

Bake for 12–15 minutes, gently shaking the tray once during the  bake.

Cool to room temperature, pour the olive oil over, then gently transfer
the berries with the syrup to a shallow plastic container. Chill until
needed.

Keeps So perfect on the day of
making. Keep chilled for 3 days then
freeze. The low sugar makes them
susceptible to spoiling.

Makes 250 g (9 oz) fruit with syrup. Takes 20 minutes.

250 g (9 oz) fresh sweet
cherries
25 g (1 oz) caster (superfine)
sugar
10 g/ml (¼ oz) lemon juice
1 split vanilla bean
20 g/ml (¾ oz) extra-virgin
olive oil
I use a good local extra-virgin
olive oil with a mild pepperiness.

Taste a  few to find what’s best for
your  palate.

Adaptrix
Frozen
Frozen cherries are your winter
understudy. Same amounts
(and don’t defrost), same heat,
same time. You will just get a little
extra juiciness.