Cherries and Chocolate Granita

Cooking with Paula McIntyre

Caramelized cherries 250g cherries, stoned and halved 75g castor sugar 125ml boiling water 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract

Cook the sugar in a non stick pan until it forms an amber liquid. Carefully add the water as it will spit and cook until thick and syrupy. Add the cherries and vanilla and toss for a couple of minutes to glaze.

Chocolate granita 450ml water 2 teaspoons glucose 75g castor sugar 25g cocoa powder 75g chopped dark chocolate

Place the water, glucose and sugar in a pan and simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in the chocolate and cocoa powder until chocolate has melted. Cool and pour into a plastic tub. Place in freezer for a couple of hours then fork up the mixture to form crystals. Repeat a couple of times until frozen. 200g crème fraiche

Spoon the cherries into bowls and top with granita and a dollop of crème fraiche.