Preparation

Make the soup

• Preheat the oven to 375°. Place pitted cherries on a baking sheet (read the Test Kitchen post to learnhow to pit a cherry). Sprinkle with 1Tbs. of the sugar, the oil, and 1 to 2 pinches salt. Mix well and roast for about 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 250°.
• In a small saucepan, over medium high heat, combine the cold water with the cornstarch and the remaining 4 Tbs. sugar. Bring to a simmer and let simmer a few minutes until slightly thickened.
• Place the roasted cherries in a blender with all their juices. Add the orange juice, lemon zest, and about 2/3 of the cornstarch mixture. Blend until almost creamy, leaving a little texture. Taste, and adjust the thickness with additional water or orange juice if needed. The mixture should be a bit thinner than pancake batter. Chill until ready to serve.

Make the garnish

• To prepare the almonds, place them on a sheet pan with the butter and sugar and mix well. Sprinkle with a few pinches of salt. Bake until nicely roasted and crunchy, 10 to 12 minutes. Keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the mascarpone with light cream. Add additional cream if needed to create a thick but pourable consistency.
• To serve, spoon the soup into small bowls. Add a nice swirl of the mascarpone mixture. Sprinkle with a generous topping of the crushed almonds.