Our first attempt at the honey almonds, which you simply bake on a Silpat until caramelized. Clearly, we overdid it.

Now that's better!

The recipe calls for 1 cup of pitted cherries -- no slicing required!

After adding a bit of sugar, some almond extract and lemon juice, you gently simmer the cherries just until their juices start to become syrupy.

You don't want jam here, as you need something that will fold easily into the whipped cream. But you don't want it too runny either, or the fool will lose its lift.

A quick chill in an ice bath is crucial, or you'll melt the whipped cream.

"Grownup" whipped cream, with a little brown sugar and vanilla, is a revelation.

Amanda whips away, and Merrill attempts to remove the sheet of honey almonds from the mat without breaking it.

It's like a piece of amber with almonds embedded in it.

A rough chop is all you need -- uneven shards are what you're aiming for here.

Don't under-whip the cream (slulibby calls for stiff peaks), but make sure to stop before it turns to butter!

The best part of whipping cream: licking the beaters!

Slulibby has you fold about half of the cherries into the whipped cream, leaving the rest for the top of the fool.

Less is more: stop folding well before the streaks of cherry juice have turned the cream a uniform shade of pink.

We love using a glass or clear bowl for things like fools and trifles, where you really want to see the layers and streaks.

Cherries, turbinado sugar, lemon zest, butter, flour, vanilla, peppercorns, confectioners' sugar, and regular granulated sugar.

Merrill grinding pepper for the shortbread.

The pepper, lemon zest and vanilla go right into the creamed butter.

Notice how the dough isn't entirely mixed -- we finished blending it by hand so we didn't overwork the dough.

Pressing the dough to 1/4-inch thick.

Makes a neat little packet.

Our beloved cherry pitter.

Job well done.

Merrill carefully slices each pitted cherry into quarters.

The cherries and sugar, about to get to know each other.

Minutes later, they cooked down to this dark, thick jam.

Amanda didn't press the dough flat enough -- so, shhh!, she had to roll it out a bit. Sorry DolcettoConfections!

Pressing the shortbread onto the Silpat (parchment also works).

Merrill sprinkles turbinado sugar on the cookies before sliding the baking sheet into the oven.

I am shortbread and jam. Hear me roar.