Healthy diet
Baked medlars on a velvety cherry sauce
Ingredients
- 12 ripe but firm medlars
- 300 g cherries
- zest of ½ lemon
- 2 tablespoons flaked almonds
- a few fresh mint leaves
- cinnamon or star anise, to taste
- crumbled amaretti biscuits (optional)
Method
- Wash the medlars, cut them in half and remove the stones. Stone the cherries as well.
- Arrange the fruit in the centre of a large sheet of baking paper. Add the cinnamon or star anise and the lemon zest, then fold the paper into a parcel, sealing the edges tightly.
- Bake in the oven at 180°C for about 15–20 minutes, until the medlars are soft and the cherries have released a rich, fragrant juice.
- Meanwhile, toast the almonds in a hot non-stick frying pan for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until they are golden and crisp.
- Open the parcel, set the medlars aside and transfer some of the cooked cherries, along with the liquid released during cooking, to a small saucepan. Blend with a hand blender until you have a smooth, velvety sauce.
- Gently heat the sauce over a low heat for 1–2 minutes, until it becomes slightly thick and syrupy.
- Spoon the velvety cherry sauce onto the bottom of dessert plates, add some of the whole cherries and place the warm medlars on top. Finish with toasted almonds, a few fresh mint leaves and crumbled amaretti biscuits, if desired. Serve warm.
THE DIETITIAN'S NOTE
This dessert brings out the natural sweetness of the fruit without the need for added sugar. Medlars and cherries provide fibre, vitamins and antioxidants, whilst almonds add healthy fats and a pleasant crunch. Baking in foil allows the aromas and flavours to be concentrated using only the juices naturally released by the fruit.
Recipe details
Preparation
35
minutes
Portions
4
people
Published on:
21.05.2026