Make roast almond stuffing.

Preheat oven to 180°C /350°F.

Discard neck from turkey. Rinse turkey under running cold water. Pat dry inside and out with paper towel. Fill cavities with stuffing. Tie legs together with kitchen string; tuck wings under turkey. Place turkey on an oiled rack in a large flameproof baking dish. Brush turkey all over with half the butter; sprinkle with salt. Pour 2 cups of the stock into the dish.

Cover dish tightly with two layers of greased foil. Roast the turkey for 2 hours.

Meanwhile, make spiced cherries.

Remove foil, brush with remaining butter. Return turkey to oven; roast, uncovered, a further 1½ hours or until browned and cooked through. (Add water to the pan during cooking time to prevent juices burning, if necessary.) Remove turkey from pan; cover with foil. Rest in a warm place for 15 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile, pour juices from dish into a jug; stand for a few minutes or until fat has risen to surface. Skim off fat and return 2 tablespoons fat to the baking dish. Discard remaining fat. Top up pan juices with chicken stock to make 3 cups. Place baking pan on stove top over medium heat, add flour; cook, stirring, until browned. Gradually add pan juices; cook, stirring, until mixture boils and thickens. Season to taste. Strain gravy into a heatproof jug. Serve turkey with gravy and spiced cherries.

Heat butter in a small frying pan over low heat.

Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Transfer to a large bowl, add remaining ingredients; season, mix well.

Drain juice from cherries into a small saucepan. Add vinegar, sugar, cinnamon, bay leaf and peppercorns to pan.

Bring to the boil; reduce heat, simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half.

Coarsely chop half the cherries; combine in a bowl with remaining cherries. Strain the liquid over the cherries; stir in brandy.