Cherries on top

Cherries are such a beautiful fruit – small, almost berry–like, dark and sweet, the perfect pick-and-eat fruit.  Cherry trees are also some of the most prettiest trees out there – their blossoms so gorgeous and pink. I have many childhood memories of having kind of overdosed on fruit - sitting under cherry trees in friends' backyards, happily eating way too many cherries.

While I enjoy eating cherries on their own, I also love pairing them with other fresh ingredients to make simple desserts.  I wanted to pair different textures – soft, crunchy and smooth – so I initially thought a crumble.  But as I didn't want to cook the fruit and take away from its fresh feel, I decided on something different: smooshed cherries and cream with a toasted coconut and oat topping.

This dessert has layers of different tastes and textures. I whipped cream, added fresh unsweetened yoghurt and sweetened it with honey.  I then toasted coconut and oats and crumbled some biscuits.  I found the cherry-smooshing quite a stress-relieving activity. I layered these components and drizzled with more honey. Too easy and so good.

smooshed cherries and cream
serves 2


1/4 cup oats (I used wholegrain)
1/4 cup coconut
12 large cherries, pitted and smooshed
1/4 cup thick cream, for whipping
1 tbsp honey (and more for drizzling)
2 tbsp plain yoghurt, stirred
2 biscuits, crumbled


Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
Place oats on baking sheet and bake for 5-8 mins or until just golden brown. Take out and place coconut on tray – flash in oven for 1-2 minutes to toast – watch it doesn’t burn. Take out and mix the two.
Take out cherry pits by placing on board and pressing down with a bowl until cherry opens and pit is visible – pull out by hand (or if you have a fancy pitter use that). Place pitted cherries in bowl and smoosh by hand until juices release. Whip cream and honey, once soft peaks form fold in stirred yoghurt – adjust sweetness. Using two glasses, begin to layer dessert – add biscuit pieces, then cherries, then cream – alternate as many times as you like and top with a handful of the coconut and oat mixture. To finish drizzle with more honey. Enjoy!