Cherry Almond Pizza
This Cherry Almond Pizza is a show-stopping dessert that combines the nutty richness of an almond-infused crust with the bright acidity of Morello cherries. The dough is kneaded with ground almonds for a tender, flavorful base that holds up beautifully to the juicy fruit topping. Drizzled with a warm, spiced cherry jam syrup and dusted with powdered sugar, it offers a perfect balance of sweet and tart. It’s an elegant yet approachable treat, ideal for weekend brunches, holiday gatherings, or as a special finish to a romantic dinner. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream for an indulgent experience that feels both homemade and sophisticated.
Description
This Cherry Almond Pizza is a show-stopping dessert that combines the nutty richness of an almond-infused crust with the bright acidity of Morello cherries. The dough is kneaded with ground almonds for a tender, flavorful base that holds up beautifully to the juicy fruit topping. Drizzled with a warm, spiced cherry jam syrup and dusted with powdered sugar, it offers a perfect balance of sweet and tart. It’s an elegant yet approachable treat, ideal for weekend brunches, holiday gatherings, or as a special finish to a romantic dinner. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream for an indulgent experience that feels both homemade and sophisticated.
Ingredients
- 345 strong white flour
- 1 salt
- 15 fresh compressed yeast
- 158 hand-hot water
- 1 olive oil
- 30 ground almonds (for dough)
- 2 egg whites
- 125 ground almonds (for topping)
- 90 caster sugar
- few almond essence
- 750 jar Morello cherries in juice
- 60 flaked almonds
- 3 Morello cherry jam
- to taste icing sugar for dusting
- to serve whipped cream
Directions
- 1 Preheat oven to 220C (425F, Gas 7).
- 2
Put flour and salt in a large bowl.- 3
In a small bowl, mix fresh yeast with a little water; put in a warm place until frothy. (If using dried active yeast, whisk with sugar and a little water; leave until frothy. If using easy blend yeast, mix into flour and salt before adding water and oil.)- 4
Add yeast liquid to flour with remaining water and oil. Mix to form a soft dough.- 5
Knead on a floured surface for 10 minutes. Put in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.- 6
Knock back the risen dough and knead in the 30g of ground almonds.- 7
Oil a 30cm (12in) pizza tin. Put dough in center and press out to edges with knuckles. Pinch up edges to create a rim.- 8
In a bowl, lightly whisk egg whites. Stir in 125g ground almonds, caster sugar, and almond essence. Spread this mixture evenly over the pizza base.- 9
Drain cherries, reserving juice. Spoon cherries over the pizza, reserving a few for decoration.- 10
Sprinkle with flaked almonds and bake in the oven for 20 minutes until dough is crisp and golden.- 11
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat reserved cherry juice and jam until syrupy.- 12
Dust cooked pizza with icing sugar and decorate with whipped cream and reserved cherries.- 13
Serve the sauce separately.NoteStore leftover pizza in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in a low oven to crisp the crust.
Substitute fresh Morello cherries with high-quality frozen cherries if out of season, but ensure they are well-drained to prevent a soggy crust.
For a nut-free version, omit the ground almonds from the dough and topping, but note that the texture and flavor profile will change significantly.
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