Good Morning Lovelies, 

Sometimes, when I am feeling really down, all I want is a comforting dinner! I don’t care what it is, it just has to warm my soul. And oddly, that meal is always something that involves oats. I love a big bowl of porridge with honey and a little chocolate to make me feel better. Even on my birthday this year, in the heart of Belfast, I had a bowl of it. 

Therefore, I wanted to share a recipe with you that will warm any soul on a down day. Full of fruity flavours, this oaty bake is great as a breakfast, lunch, dinner or pudding option. It is a warming meal that will bring a smile onto any face. 

Grab a spoon and be prepared to instantly feel better after only one bite of this beauty…

Ingredients

250g of Frozen Cherries

One Tablespoon of Caster Sugar

One Teaspoon of Cornflour

One Teaspoon of Lemon Juice

Two Teaspoons of Vanilla Extract

One Egg

100ml of Milk (Any Kind)

50g of Butter

120g of Rolled Oats, Plus A Few Extra For The Topping

One Tablespoon of Demerara Sugar

Two Tablespoons of Light Brown Sugar

One Teaspoon of Baking Powder

70g of Plain Flour

Grated Zest of Half A Lemon

A Pinch of Sea Salt

Tools

A Medium Sized Baking Dish

A Medium Sized Saucepan

Three Medium Sized Mixing Bowls

A Whisk

Two Mixing Spoons

Method

1. Start by preheating your oven to 180ºC, before buttering a baking dish. Place to one side until needed. 
2. Grabbing a saucepan, add in the butter and brown it until a nutty smell occurs and it is flecked with golden streaks. When ready, remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
3. As the butter cools, grab a mixing bowl and add in the cherries, caster sugar, cornflour, lemon juice, one teaspoon of the vanilla extract and the lemon zest. Stir to fully combine before placing into the baking dish. 
4. Next, take another mixing bowl and add in the oats, flour, baking powder, brown sugar and salt. Stir until fully combined. 
5. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, remaining vanilla extract and the butter, before pouring into the dry mixture to make a thick batter.
6. Once ready, spoon the batter over the cherries in the baking dish in uneven dollops, leaving little gaps to allow the fruit to bubble through. 
7. After using up all the batter, sprinkle the tops of it with the extra oars and the demerara sugar. 
8. Place into the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the topping is golden in colour and the cherries have bubbled through. 
9. When the bake is ready, remove from the oven and serve! 

Perfect on its own or with custard, ice cream or your favourite kind of sauces, this bake is a real delight that I know will make any bad day better! In fact, it is perfect on a good day too! Once you try it, you will not be able to stop making it lovelies! 

Joey X