Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) butter, diced
- 3 cups flour
- 1 cup finely ground almonds
- 1 1/3 cups firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
- 1 tea. salt
- 2 cans (16 oz each) dark sweet pitted cherries in heavy syrup
- 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 1/2 tea. almond extract
- 1 Tbsp. confectioners' sugar
Preparation
Step 1
Heat oven to375 degrees. Coat 9" springform pan with removable bottom with cooking spray.
In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter 30 secs. or until melted, stirring once. Let cook 2 minutes or until cool but still pourable.
In a bowl, combine flour, almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Using fork, slowly stir in melted butter just until dry ingredients are moistened and crumbs form. Let sit 20 minutes.
Using strainer, drain cherries; reserve 1 1/2 cups syrup and 1/4 cup cherries. In saucepan over medium heat, cook remaining syrup and sugar 2 minutes, or until sugar is completely dissolived, stirring often. In a bowl, combine cornstarch and reserved syrup; stir into syrup-sugar mixture. Cook 2 minutes, or until mixture comes to a low boil, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute, sitrring twice. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining cherries and almond extract.
Press 3 cups crumb mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. Spread cherry mixture over crust. Using hands, gently sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over cherry mixture. Bake 30 minutes or until edges are bubbling and crumbs are golden brown.
Top with reserved cherries. Let cool completely.
Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.