CHOCOLATE CHERRY CRUMBLE

Fresh cherries are at all the roadside stands now, so I thought I'd make a Crumble. Here's an easy Chocolate Cherry Crumble recipe. Of course, there are so many different "crumble" toppings you can use. This dessert is very forgiving, so play with the ingredients.

Chocolate Cherry Crumble

Ingredients

Topping
1 cup walnut halves, chopped  (you can substitute almonds, if you prefer)
7 tablespoons unsalted, cold butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour

Fruit
About 25 or so fresh cherries, pitted and sliced in half
2 tbsp local honey
Zest of 1 orange
1 -1 /2 to 2 oz. 65%-75% dark chocolate (bittersweet chocolate), broken into chunks

Directions

Preheat oven to 350
Mix cherries, honey, chocolate, and orange zest in mixing bowl.
Distribute cherry/chocolate mixture on the bottom of 8 inch pie pan (lightly buttered)

Make Topping: Combine 1 cup flour and sugar. Add the pieces of butter and chopped nuts. With your hands, mash up butter and combine into a loose dough. Break into small pieces and sprinkle mixture evenly over the top of cherry/chocolate mixture. You don't have to use all of the topping.

Bake 20-25 minutes. Crumble should be golden brown, but not burnt. Serve warm.

Alternative Crumble Topping (delicious)
1 cup flour
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
8 ounces unsalted butter
1 tbsp cinnamon
Combine  flour, sugar, butter, and cinnamon until blended and beginning to gather into small balls. Break into small pieces and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top of the cherry/chocolate mixture.