How to make a pistachio and cherry polenta cake

Whether you pop one in your prosecco, drizzle over dessert or pair with pistachios and polenta in this cake, cherries are a great addition to the festive table

The flavourful Amarena cherry from northern Italy is one of the most sought after across Europe

Walk into any Italian delicatessen and you’re likely to see blue and white ceramic jars lining the shelves. They’re Fabbri Amarena – wild, sour cherries preserved in a sugar syrup.

They were created by a woman named Rachele Fabbri, who picked cherries growing near her home in Portomaggiore in Emilia-Romagna and semi-candied them.

Her husband, Gennaro, was such a fan that he had a blue and white ceramic jar made for her as a thank you. They started selling the cherries in 1905 and today the business is still family run.

Pop one or two cherries in a glass of prosecco for some holiday cheer. Drizzle them over ice cream or pancakes.

They’re also a treat in this cake, which pairs them with pistachios and polenta for a nice addition to the Christmas table. Spike whipped cream with some of the syrup and pass around an extra bowl of cherries so guests can help themselves.

Pistachio and cherry polenta cake

225g unsalted butter
225g caster sugar
4 eggs, beaten
3 tbsp cherry syrup
zest of 2 lemons
30g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
35g fine polenta
200g ground pistachios, plus additional coarsely chopped for garnish
16 cherries in syrup, plus additional for garnish

Preheat oven to 175°C. Butter and flour a 20cm cake pan with a loose bottom.

Cream the butter and sugar and slowly add in the eggs. Stir in the cherry syrup and lemon zest. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and fold into the creamed mixture. Add in the polenta and ground pistachios.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top. Dust with roughly chopped pistachios and press the cherries lightly into the batter. The cherries will drop down into the cake while baking.

Place on a sheet pan and bake in the oven for 50 minutes to an hour, or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove and place on a wire rack to cool. Slice and serve with additional cherries in syrup and whipped cream or Greek yoghurt, if you like.

@juliapleonard