I love this simple Turkish sweet, which is also made with apricots (see variation). I use a brioche-type bread for the base.

　　

Ingredients

serves 8

　　8 large slices bread, about 1/2 inch thick

　　2 pounds sour cherries or black cherries

　　12 ounce jar of morello or black-cherry jam

　　Juice of 1/2–1 lemon

　　1 1/4 cups kaymak (page 407) or clotted or extra-thick heavy cream, mascarpone, or thick strained yogurt to serve with

　　

Step 1

Trim the crusts off the bread and toast the slices in the oven until lightly golden. Wash and drain the cherries and remove the stems.

　　

Step 2

Put the jam in a large pan with 2/3 cup water and bring to the boil (you may use a “reduced-sugar” jam). Add the cherries and lemon juice, and simmer gently for 20 minutes, or until the cherries are soft. Let them cool, and strain the juice into a bowl.

　　

Step 3

Arrange the toasted bread on a flat serving platter and ladle a little juice over each piece, soaking the bread so that it is soft but not so that it falls apart. Top with the stewed cherries and serve with the cream.

　　

Variation

Step 4

A similar sweet is made with apricots. Pit 2 pounds apricots, put them, a jar of apricot jam, the juice of 1/2 lemon, and 2/3 cup water in a large saucepan. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes, until the apricots begin to soften, and continue as above.

　　The New Book of Middle Eastern Food Copyright © 2000Knopf