Cherry Soup with Whipped Mascarpone & Caramelised Almonds

**1. Prepare the poaching liquid:** In a large saucepan, combine the red wine, Prosecco, 75g golden caster sugar, cinnamon stick, thyme sprig, and the seeds scraped from the vanilla pods. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

**2. Add the cherries:** Once the poaching liquid is simmering, add the pitted and halved cherries. Let them simmer for about 3 minutes until they soften slightly.

**3. Cool the poaching liquid:** Remove the saucepan from heat and allow the cherries to cool in the poaching liquid. This can be prepared up to two days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

**4. Prepare the caramelised almonds:** In a separate saucepan, combine 50g golden caster sugar with 25ml water. Heat gently without stirring until the sugar melts and turns a golden caramel color.

**5. Coat the almonds:** Add the blanched roasted almonds to the caramel, stirring to ensure they are evenly coated. Pour the caramelised almonds onto a sheet of baking parchment and let them cool. Once set, break the caramel into pieces.

**6. Whip the mascarpone:** In a mixing bowl, whisk together the double cream, mascarpone, and icing sugar until the mixture forms stiff peaks.

**7. Assemble the dessert:** Once the poached cherries have cooled, remove the cinnamon stick, thyme sprig, and vanilla pods. Ladle the cherry soup into dessert bowls.

**8. Serve:** Top each serving with a generous spoonful of whipped mascarpone and sprinkle with pieces of caramelised almonds.

**Tips:**

- For a non-alcoholic version, substitute the red wine and Prosecco with grape juice or a non-alcoholic sparkling beverage.

- Ensure the caramelised almonds are completely cooled before serving to maintain their crunchiness.

- This dessert can be prepared a day in advance; store the poached cherries and whipped mascarpone separately in the refrigerator and assemble just before serving.

**Tags:**

Cherry Soup, Whipped Mascarpone, Caramelised Almonds, Dessert, European Cuisine

**Calories per serving:**

624 kcal