two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Plump the dried cherries by soaking them in boiling water to cover for a couple of minutes. Drain well and toss with cherry brandy. Let the cherries sit in the brandy for a couple of hours, or even overnight for the best flavor, then drain before using.

Cream the butter with both sugars. Blend in the egg, vanilla and almond extracts.

Fold in the salt, baking soda and flour. Fold in the cherries, white and dark chocolate and, if using, the macadamia nuts. Batter should be soft.

Drop in generous tablespoons onto the baking sheets, leaving space between dollops of batter.

Bake until lightly browned around the edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool on racks. (Makes about 2 1/2 dozen).

Recipe from Marcy Goldman, a professional baker and food writer based in Montreal.