Chocolate And Cherry Torte

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 3 eggs, seperated
• 3 tablespoons caster sugar (superfine)
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1/4 teaspoon almond essence
• 250 g fresh cherries
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 3/4 cup heavy cream (whipping cream)
• 2 tablespoons icing sugar (confectioners sugar)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 tablespoon kirsch liqueur
• 2 tablespoons finely grated dark chocolate

Recipe

• 1 brush the base and sides of a 20cm (8in) tin with butter. line the base with greasproof paper, butter it.
• 2 preheat your oven to 180-190c (350-375f).
• 3 base:.
• 4 beat the egg yolks with the caster sugar until thick and pale. sift in the cocoa and cinnamon and add the essences.
• 5 seperately, beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks, then fold them in a third at a time.
• 6 place this mixture in the prepared tin, smoothing it over gently and evenly.
• 7 bake in oven for 18-20 minutes of until firm to touch on top.
• 8 the outside rim of the cake will be higher than inside. this cavity is what you're going to fill with cream and cherries.
• 9 filling:.
• 10 place the cherries, 1 tablespoon sugar and water in a pan and cook for 5 minutes only or until just softened.
• 11 leave to cool and remove the pips. spread the cherries on some paper towel to drain well.
• 12 whip the cream until it holds stiff peaks.
• 13 add the icing sugar, vanilla and kirsh and whip again until stiff. fold in the grated chocolate and chill the mixture.
• 14 keep this cream chiled until ready to assemble the ckae.
• 15 to assemble:.
• 16 place a layer of cream over and around the cavity. arrange cherries over the top of the cream.
• 17 keep chilled until serving time.