Elegy for a dirty snowbank

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the crushed wafers and ground almonds ( I use a coffee grinder) together in a bowl.
2. Melt the butter in a small pan; dissolve the sugar in the butter. Pour this over the crumb mixture and mix thoroughly.
3. Press this mix into a pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes.
4. Spread the cherry preserve over the pie shell. Grate the lemon on top. If you don't have a homemade cherry jam (see aargersi's recipe on this site), you can use a very good cherry preserve from an artisan kitchen. Add a splash of Amaretto if desired. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool and then chill.
5. Whip the heavy cream adding a splash of Amaretto, if desired. Lather up a thick layer on cream on top of the chilled pie. Break chocolate wafers in half. Insert into the cream in a radial pattern as illustrated in one of the photos. Cover the wafers over with cream for the magic to happen. Add shaved chocolate on top. It might still look like a dirty snowbank. Patiently, let set for about an hour in the fridge until the wafers bloom into cake-like blossoms. Then serve. Cutting the pie reveals the cherry surprise. Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to a few days.