Flourless chocolate chestnut sour cherry truffle cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
200g good quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
200g butter
300g vacuum packed cooked and peeled chestnuts (or fresh)
200g sugar
200ml milk
3 eggs, separated whites and yolks
1 tablespoon brandy, I used Kirsch
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 strong shot of coffee
1 can of sour cherries in syrup – drained and pitted – reserve some whole ones for decoration.
Flourless chocolate cake ingredients
For the Cream
For the cream
200 ml double cream
2 tablespoons icing sugar
1 tablespoon brandy (optional)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Syrup
liquid of the sour cherries
1 teaspoon of Kirsch
1 desert spoon of caster sugar
Method
- Preheat the oven to 150C
- Melt the chocolate and butter in a glass or ceramic bowl set over a pan of simmering water.
- Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks – reserve
- Meanwhile, put the rest of the cake ingredients into the blender and blend until completely smooth.
- Prepare a cake pan (preferably a spring form) by greasing with butter and cutting out some greaseproof paper to fit the bottom.
- Once the chocolate and butter have melted, pour into the blender with everything else (you may have to do this in 2 batches depending on the size of your blender).
- Add this mixture to the egg whites mix well and add sour cherries
- Pour into the prepared cake pan(s) Bake for 1 hour (check after 45 minutes) when a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out dry it is ready.
- Leave to cool in the pan then cover and transfer to the fridge.
- Make the cherry syrup by placing all ingredients into a pan and simmer slowly till becomes thicker. Reserve.
- Next day whip the cream adding the brandy and sugar.
- Turn the cake out, split and fill with cream and decorate with sour cherry, syrup and icing sugar.
