Kirschenmichel

Kirschenmichel is a traditional dessert of German cuisine, especially popular in the regions Palatinate, Baden-Württemberg, South Bavaria, Franconia and the southern part of Hesse. It is kind of a pudding and similar to bread pudding and bread and butter pudding.

The dessert consists of bread that is a few days old which is kneaded into a dough with butter, milk, egg and sugar. Sour cherries or sweet cherries are folded into the dough and the mixture is baked in a casserole dish. Prior to serving the dessert is topped with vanilla, cinnamon, almonds and clove and is then served hot with vanilla sauce.

Although traditionally a dessert, it can also be found as main dish after an appetizer soup.

A similar dish popular in the south of Germany is Ofenschlupfer which consists of layers of aged bread and apple slices (instead of cherries) which are then soaked in a mixture of butter, sugar and egg. Some also add raisins and serve it with hot vanilla sauce.