Juice of 1/2 lemon

3 tablespoons sugar

For the ciambella:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

8 tablespoons cold sweet butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice, plus 1 tablespoon for pan

1 large egg

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/4 cup cold milk

Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a medium saucepan, combine berries, lemon juice and sugar. Place over medium heat and cook until just boiling, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Place flour, sugar and baking powder in a food processor and pulse quickly to blend. Add cold butter and pulse quickly until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

In a separate bowl, beat egg, almond extract and milk until smooth. With food processor going, add liquid all at once and blend 10 to 15 seconds, until just forming a ball.

Remove dough from processor to a well-floured cutting board. Shape the dough into a log about 14 inches long and 1 1/2 inches tall. Grease a cookie sheet with the remaining tablespoon of butter and lay the log in a ring in the center.

Place in a preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until light golden brown. Remove and allow to cool to room temperature. Cut into slices about 1-inch thick, top with 2 tablespoons of berry compote and serve.

(Mario Batali is the award-winning chef behind twenty-four restaurants including Eataly, DelPosto, and his flagship Greenwich Village enoteca, Babbo.)