This is a lovely cake for a special occasion, delicious with its lashings of Amaretto cream, chocolate mousse, Amaretto soaked cake and the fruity tartness of sour cherries.

Almond Cherry & Chocolate Torte

INGREDIENTS

• 2 x 20cm almond sponge cakes (see Basics)
• Plus 2 – 3 tbsp Amaretto
• 2 x 20cm chocolate sponge cakes (see Basics)
• 1 jar of sour cherries (680g)

For the Chocolate Mousse

• 3 eggs, separated
• 100g caster sugar
• 150g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
• Pinch of salt
• 300ml double cream
• 2 tbsp icing sugar

For the Amaretto Cream

• 500ml double cream
• 2 tbsp Amaretto
• 1 tbsp icing sugar
• ¼ tsp almond extract

For the Chocolate Curls

• 180g dark chocolate (70% chocolate)

Method

1. Make your almond and chocolate sponges following the instructions in Basics.
2. Once the almond sponges have cooled brush them with the Amaretto and set aside until needed.
3. In a colander, drain the cherries of their juice and set aside.
4. To make the Chocolate Mousse, chop the chocolate and place in a microwave bowl. Melt in 30-second bursts, stir until smooth and set aside.
5. Place the egg yolks and the caster sugar into a heatproof bowl suspended over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Be careful not to let the bowl touch the water.
6. Beat with an electric hand whisk for 8 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy and feels warm to the touch.
7. Remove the egg mixture from the heat and slowly pour in the melted chocolate. Stir until combined.
8. Beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff.
9. In a separate bowl beat the double cream with the icing sugar to a soft peak.
10. Carefully fold the egg whites and the cream into the chocolate mixture.
11. Refrigerate the mousse for 30 minutes.
12. Meanwhile, beat 500ml of double cream with the Amaretto, icing sugar and almond extract to a peak.
13. To assemble the cake, place the first chocolate sponge onto a serving plate and enclose with a cake ring or fitting spring form ring. Line the ring with parchment paper.
14. Arrange half the drained cherries over the sponge and spread with a third of the beaten cream.
15. Place an almond sponge on top and spread with a third of the chocolate mousse.
16. Top with the second almond sponge, arrange the remaining cherries over the sponge and spread with a further third of the cream.
17. Place the remaining chocolate sponge on top and spread with a 1cm layer of chocolate mousse.
18. Refrigerate the cake for one hour.
19. Place the remaining chocolate mousse into a piping bag fitted with a large star shaped nozzle, repeat with the remaining cream and set aside in the fridge.
20. Remove the cake from the fridge, take of the ring and peel off the parchment paper.
21. Pipe alternating strips of mousse and cream around the cake and return to the fridge.
22. To make the chocolate curls melt the chocolate and spread over a dry marble surface or a cold baking tray. Set aside until just set but not hard.
23. Holding a chef’s knife at a 45-degree angle away from you or using a dough scraper, scrape the chocolate into curls. (If it breaks, it has already set too hard – scrape it off and melt again.)
24. Liberally decorate the top of the cake with the chocolate curls.
25. Keep the cake in the fridge and remove 20 minutes before serving.