3 WAYS WITH... cherries

Sweet yet sharp, cherries are the ultimate summer fruit

For Black Forest cupcakes, preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a muffin tin with 12 cases. Beat together 125g butter and 175g caster sugar. Beat in 2 eggs. Sift in 200g self-raising flour and 2 tbsp cocoa powder. Mix well. Fold in 100ml milk and 100g melted dark chocolate. Spoon into cases and bake for 20 minutes. Leave to cool. Drain the liquid from a 360g jar of cherries in kirsch into a bowl. Pierce the cakes with a skewer and pour 1 tsp kirsch over each. Top with whipped cream and cherries. To make a cherry crumble, preheat the oven to 180°C. Mix together 1kg pitted cherries, 50g sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Place in an ovenproof dish. With your fingers, rub together

150g plain flour and 100g butter. Stir through 75g brown sugar and 100g rolled oats. Tip over the cherry mixture and sprinkle with flaked almonds. Bake for 30 minutes until golden.

For a delicious cherry breakfast smoothie, place 150ml milk, 150g frozen pitted cherries, 1 banana, 60g natural yogurt and 1 tsp almond extract (optional) into a blender. Blend until smooth and serve.