Helen Goh’s recipe for baked oats with morello cherries and almond | The sweet spot

This moreish, flapjack-style oaty bake, flavoured with maple syrup and dotted with sour cherries, works as well for dessert as it does for breakfast

I’ve been making versions of these baked oats ever since discovering Heidi Swanson’s recipe in Super Natural Every Day. This is my favourite store-cupboard version, for when stone fruit and berries have slipped out of season. Morello cherries are a dark, tart variety of sour cherry, with an intensity of flavour and bright acidity that stand up particularly well to baking. I love them here paired with almonds and coconut drinking milk (the light kind sold in cartons, not the rich tinned variety). The cherries I use are whole fruit in syrup, which I drain and dot over the oats – they remain distinct while becoming deliciously jammy as they bake. Almost any fruit compote or jam will work here, though, so choose your favourite.

Baked oats with morello cherries and almond

Jarred cherries come in many forms, so if yours is more like a compote or jam, simply add it in small teaspoonfuls instead.

Prep 10 min Cook 45 min, plus cooling Serves 4-6

30g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus extra for greasing 210g jumbo rolled oats 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp fine sea salt 1 large egg 60ml maple syrup, plus extra to serve 500ml coconut drinking milk 1 tsp vanilla extract 100-120g morello cherries in syrup, drained, or cherry compote or jam 30g flaked almonds Icing sugar, for dusting (optional) Yoghurt or cream, to serve