Kirsch-Streusel-Kuchen (sour cherry streusel cake)

Method

1. Rub the cold butter into the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until it looks like coarse crumbs, then work in the egg just until a dough forms. Press into the base of a 26 cm springform, about 2 cm up the sides, and chill for 20 minutes.
2. Make the streusel: rub the cold butter into the flour and sugar with your fingertips until it forms coarse, pea-sized crumbs. Chill until needed.
3. Drain the cherries thoroughly in a sieve, pressing gently, then scatter them evenly over the chilled base.
4. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch into a little of the cold milk until smooth. Heat the rest of the milk until steaming, then whisk it in. Return to the pan and cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens to a pourable custard, about 4 minutes. Stir in the vanilla.
5. Pour the warm custard evenly over the cherries, then scatter the streusel over the top in an even layer.
6. Bake at 180°C for 40 to 45 minutes, until the streusel is solidly golden and the custard looks set rather than liquid.
7. Cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then release the sides and cool completely on a rack before slicing.

Method in the Thermomix

Written for a TM5 or TM6, 2.2 litre bowl. This covers the custard; the dough, streusel and baking are the same as the hand method.

1. Milk, egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch into the bowl. Cook 6 min / 90 °C / speed 3, until thickened to a pourable custard.
2. Stir in the vanilla. Mix 5 sec / speed 2. Pour over the cherries and continue as in the hand method.

Notes

• Draining the cherries properly is the step that decides everything else. Jarred cherries carry a lot of liquid, and skipping the drain leaves the custard too wet to set even after a full bake.
• The custard is what keeps this from being a wet cake. It sets around the fruit rather than letting cherry juice soak straight into the streusel.
• Keep the streusel cold until it goes into the oven, for the same reason as any other streusel cake.
• It keeps for 3 days in the fridge, covered, and is best the day it is baked while the streusel is still crisp.

Ingredient substitutions

• Sour cherries can be sweet cherries, pitted, with the sugar in the custard reduced slightly to keep the balance.
• Frozen sour cherries work if thawed and well drained; do not skip the draining just because they are already pitted.
• For a boozy version, a spoonful of kirsch stirred into the drained cherries before they go on the base is a traditional touch.
• A dusting of cinnamon in the streusel pairs well with cherries if a warmer flavour is wanted.