Cherry Torte

from Katherine Koelsch & family

serves 8 to 10

For the shortbread base

1 cup cake flour plus ½ teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons powdered sugar

½ cup butter

For the cherry torte

mix in same bowl, add 2 unbeaten eggs

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup flour

½ cup chopped walnuts

1½ cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking powder

24 ounce pitted, canned tart cherries, drained

¾ cup dried pitted cherries

Heat oven to 350° F for the shortbread base. Mix the shortbread ingredients together. Spread on bottom of 8 x 12 inch pan. Bake at 350º F for 15 minutes until golden brown.

Combine ingredients for the cherry torte. Lightly stir into mixture, 24 oz. pitted Montmorency or equivalent tart cherries, drained of syrup and ¾ cup dried pitted Montmorency or Bing cherries. Pour mixture over the baked shortbread crust base. Bake for 40 minutes in 350º F oven.

Over bake rather than under bake. Top should be crusty. Serve with ice cream, crème fraîche or lightly-whipped cream.