this is a great recipe to use up old sponge.  I have done this many times through out the year using different fruit folded through whipped cream or drizzle over some homemade creme fraiche.  So versatile and so delicious!

TOASTED SPONGE CAKE WITH CHERRY AND KIRSCH COMPOTE

Serves 8

For the sponge cake:
3 medium eggs, at room temperature
90g caster sugar
90g plain flour
40g butter, melted

Cherries and Kirsch Compote
1kg cherries
200g sugar
15g cornflour or rice flour
1 Tablespoon Kirsch

For the sponge cake: preheat the oven to 190`C lightly grease a deep, 20 cm sandwich tin with butter, then line the base with greaseproof paper and grease once more. Add 1 teaspoon of caster sugar and flour and shake them around to lightly coat the inside of the tin. Tap out excess.

Have the eggs at room temperature, or if need be place into a bowl of warm water. Break the eggs into the bowl of the electric mixer, add the sugar and whisk until the mixture is very thick and moussey and leaves a trail behind when drizzled over the surface.

Sift the flour into the bowl and fold very gently through the egg mixture, add the melted butter and continue to fold until just combined. Try to be gently at this stage as you don’t want to remove more air than needed.

Pour into the prepared tin and bake 20- 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to go cold.

For the cherries; remove the stalks and stone the cherries. Put the sugar and 100ml water in a pan and bring to the boil. Add the cherries and simmer for 10 minutes. Mix the flour with a few teaspoons of cold water in a bowl. Pour into the cherry compote and stir until thickened. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Pour the compote into a bowl. Warm the kirsch and pour it over the compote, carefully light the kirsch and flambé

To serve; Pre-heat the grill to high. Cut the sponge cake into small, thin wedges and lightly toast them on each cut side. Dust with icing sugar and serve with the cherry compote and whipped cream or homemade crème fraiche.