Doris' cherry meringue tart

• homemade or ready-made shortcrust pastry250g g

  thawed if frozen

• ground almonds↗ tbsp
• caster sugar↗ tbsp

  plus 100g/4oz

• cherries (cans or jars, 350‑400 g each)
• cornflour↗ tsp
• Crème de Cassis↗ tbsp

  crème de mûre or kirsch

• egg whites↗2

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Roll out the pastry and line a 23cm flan tin. Press the pastry into the corners and trim off the excess pastry with a sharp knife. Mix the ground almonds with the 3 tbsp of sugar, then sprinkle over the pastry base.

2. 2

   Drain the cherries well, then pat very dry with kitchen paper. Reserve 200ml of the juice. Scatter the cherries over the pastry case and bake for 15-20 mins, until the pastry is golden and crisp.

3. 3

   Tip the juice into a small pan and boil for 3 mins until reduced a little. Blend the cornflour to a paste with a little cold water and stir into the pan, cooking until thickened and smooth. Stir in the liqueur and pour into the tart case, then leave to cool while you make the meringue.

4. 4

   Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then whisk in the 100g of caster sugar until thick. Spread over the filling, ensuring there are no gaps between the filling and the tart case. Return to the oven for 10 mins to brown the meringue, then serve warm or cold.