1. Preheat Your Oven and Prepare Your Dish: Start by preheating your oven to 350 F (175 C). Lightly grease an 8×8 inch baking dish with a little cooking spray or butter. This step helps prevent sticking and ensures easy removal of your baked yogurt.

2. Combine Wet Ingredients and Sweetener: In a large mixing bowl, add the Greek yogurt, protein powder, unsweetened cocoa powder, maple syrup (or honey), vanilla extract, and optional almond extract. Use a whisk or a spatula to mix these ingredients thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and there are no lumps of protein powder or cocoa powder visible. The mixture should be thick and uniform in color.

3. Gently Fold in the Cherries: Add the frozen pitted dark sweet cherries to the yogurt mixture. Gently fold them in with a spatula, distributing them evenly throughout the mixture. Avoid overmixing, as you want the cherries to remain mostly intact.

4. Pour into Baking Dish: Carefully pour the entire yogurt mixture into your prepared 8×8 inch baking dish. Use the spatula to spread it evenly across the bottom of the dish, ensuring the surface is relatively flat.

5. Sprinkle with Chocolate Chips: Evenly sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the yogurt mixture in the baking dish. This will create a lovely melted chocolate layer on top as it bakes.

6. Bake Until Set: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. The bake is ready when the edges are set and lightly golden, and the center appears mostly firm with a slight jiggle. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out mostly clean, though it might have a little melted chocolate or cherry juice on it.

7. Cool Before Serving: Once baked, remove the dish from the oven. Let it cool on a wire rack for at least 10-15 minutes before serving. This allows the bake to set further and makes it easier to cut and serve. You can enjoy it warm, or chill it completely in the refrigerator for an even firmer texture.