Franconian Kirschenmännle

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 kg cherries
• 4 rolls, stale
• 4 slice(s) of stale black bread, same amount as rolls
• ½ liter of milk
• 100 g butter
• 150 g sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 pinch of baking powder
• Powdered sugar for dusting
• vanilla sauce

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 15 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 16 hours 30 minutes

with black bread

The Franconian Kirschenmännle (cherry man) is made with black bread, which gives it a spicy flavor. You can vary it by using more or less black bread, or by choosing an exotic type of bread. Try spiced bread; fennel, anise, or caraway bread also go well with this dessert. Preparation: Cut the rolls and a roughly equal amount of black bread into 2 cm thick slices. Soak the slices in milk; I prefer a freezer bag, which ensures everything is well moistened. Then mash them lightly with your hands. It’s okay to leave some firmer pieces of rind behind; they give the Kirschenmännle a bit of bite. Pit the fresh cherries and drain the cherries from the jar. Separate the eggs. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks with the butter, sugar, and cinnamon until frothy. Then add the soaked bread and baking powder. Stir gently until everything is evenly distributed. Then fold the cherries into the mixture. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form and then fold them into the bread mixture and cherries. Bake in a buttered casserole dish in a preheated oven at 220°C (425°F) for about 1 hour using conventional heat. Let cool, dust with powdered sugar, and serve lukewarm. Serve with vanilla sauce. Leftovers can be refrigerated for a few days and served cold or reheated.