Try to use only the best tasting cherries for this dessert. Did you know that cherries are recommended in large quantities to relieve the pain of people suffering from gout.

Cherry Mousse
Serves 6

For the Caramelised cherries
24 cherries, pitted
3 1/2 oz/100g caster sugar
3 Tbsp water
Juice of 1/2 lemon

For the Cherry Mousse
12 oz/350g cherries, pitted
zest of 1 lemon
4 3/4 oz/130g caster sugar
18 fl oz/500ml whipping cream
white chocolate to decorate

For the caramelised cherries - in a small saucepan, melt the sugar in the water and a few drops of lemon juice over a medium heat. Continue to cook until the sugar turns golden brown. Stir in the cherries and the rest of the lemon juice. Cook for another minute. Remove from heat and leave to cool. Divide between 6 wine goblets.

For the cherry mousse - whizz the cherries in a blender, then stir in the lemon zest and half of the sugar. In a separate bowl whip the cream with the remaining sugar until it has a light mousse-like texture*. Lightly fold the cherry puree into the whipped cream and divide the mix between the glasses.

Chill the mousse for a couple of hours.
Grate some white chocolate over the mousses just before serving.

*be careful at this stage and don't overbeat, sadly I did on the first attempt. The glasses still came back empty.
Sylvia <Scotland>

http://www.nancyskitchen.com