Crostini with Mascarpone and Cherries

• portions: Makes 16 crostini.

Ingrédients

4 ounces mascarpone

1-2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon maraschino liqueur or kirsch

Unsalted butter

16 small rounds of bread, ½-inch thick, cut from a narrow baguette-style loaf, or 16 small rounds of brioche

Sugar for crostini

½-¾ cup drained, pitted brandied cherries, about 32 to 48

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine the mascarpone, sugar, and liqueur. Stir well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Lightly butter and sugar the bread rounds and arrange on a baking sheet. Toast the crostini at 400° until they are erisp on the outside but soft inside. Remove the mascarpone cream from the refrigerator. Spread the cream on the crostini. Top each bread round with 2 or 3 cherries. Serve soon after assembling them.