Ingredients

• 8 oz. fresh cherries, washed, stoned and halved
• 4 oz. self-raising flour
• pinch salt
• 2 oz. butter or margarine, cut into small pieces
• 2 oz. caster sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons milk
• a few drops almond essence
• a few flaked almonds
• 1 oz. demerara sugar

Method

1. Grease and line an 18 cm (7 in.) square sandwich tin with greased greaseproof paper. Wash, stone and halve the cherries.
2. Sift flour and salt into a bowl. Add the fat, cut into small pieces, and rub in with the fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar.
3. Make a well in the centre, then add the beaten egg. Stir in enough milk to form a soft dropping consistency. Add a few drops of almond essence.
4. Turn into the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Cover the surface with the cherries, then scatter the flaked almonds and demerara sugar over the top.
5. Cook in a moderate oven (Mark 4 — 180°C — 350°F) for 40 minutes until the cake springs back when pressed with a finger.
6. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack, remove the paper and cool completely.

Notes