1. Start with the vanilla sauce by taking about 1/4 cup (60ml) of the milk to the side for later. Add the milk together with the sugar and salt to a saucepan. Slit the vanilla bean pod lengthwise and remove the seeds. Add both to the milk and warm it up. Let the vanilla soak in the warm milk for about 10 minutes. The milk should be warm, not hot or boiling. Mix the milk you kept on the side with the cornstarch and egg yolk. Heat up the milk until it starts boiling, remove the vanilla bean pod, then add the cornstarch mixture while stirring constantly until the sauce starts to thicken and bubble. Remove from the heat and let cool down while stirring occasionally to prevent the sauce from getting a skin.

2. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Dice the bread rolls and let them soak in the milk for about 10 minutes. Mix from time to time so the bread gets evenly moist. Let the cherries drain and set them aside.

3. Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl and mix until light and fluffy. Divide the eggs (set the egg whites aside) and add the egg yolks one after another, mixing well in between. Add the vanilla paste and mix it in. Next, add the soaked bread and fold it in. If you want the Kirschmichel to be more chunky, do not stir that much. Add the egg whites to a tall vessel and whisk with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form, add the whisked egg whites to the large bowl and carefully fold it in.

4. Grease a pie dish (23cm)* or any other baking pan of similar size and dust with the bread crumbs. Add some of the batter to the pie dish/pan and spread, add about half of the drained cherries on top, add some more of the batter, then cherries again and finish with a layer of batter. Bake the Kirschmichel for about 50-55 minutes. About 15 minutes before the baking time is ending, add the butter in small pieces on top of the Kirschmichel, as well as the sugar and slivered almonds and then continue baking. Take the finished Kirschmichel out and let it cool down. Serve a warm or cold, dust with confectioners‘ sugar and serve with the vanilla sauce.