These little cakes are a perfect way to end a special meal with your someone special. They are a little fiddly to make, but if you make sure you take a little extra time securing the cake collars and time for chilling these little cakes are well worth the trouble.

This recipe will make mini 4 individual cakes.

You will need:

For the sponge:

• 3 Eggs separated
• 75g Caster sugar
• 25g Cocoa powder

Dark Chocolate Ganache

• 30g Dark chocolate
• 90ml Double cream
• 1tsp Caster sugar
• 150g Frozen pitted cherries (4 reserved for decoration)

White Chocolate Mousse

• 150g White chocolate
• 150ml Double cream

Optional:

• Chocolate whipped
• Chocolate coated cherries reserved from above
• Melted chocolate for drizzling

Method:

• Grease and line a 21cm square tin. Pre heat the oven to 160degrees
• Defrost the cherries on some kitchen roll to absorb excess juice.

For The Sponge:

• Whisk the egg white until stiff peeks form, the put to one side.
• In a clean bowl whisk the egg yolk until they begin to thicken then whisk in the caster sugar.
• Gradually add the cocoa powder and whisk until totally blended.
• With a spatula gradually and carefully add the egg white a spoonful at a time. The first spoonful of egg white will help to slacken the mixture, subsequent additions will be easier. Use cutting and folding motions to thoroughly blend the egg white until you cannot see any white in the chocolate mixture.

Be careful not to over mix or beat the mixture as it is the egg white that make the cake light and fluffy.

• Pour the mixture into your prepared tin and bake for 10-15 mins, check it is cook by inserting a cocktail stick into the cake, if it comes out clean it’s cooked.
• Place on a wire rack in the tin to cool completely. Then remove from the tin and carefully remove the paper (the use of a pallet knife is handy at this stage).

The Ganache:

• Melt the chocolate over a bain maire. Once melted remove from the heat.
• Add the double cream and caster sugar and stir until the chocolate and cream has thickened, this won’t take long.
• Add the defrosted drained cherries (reserving the best looking 4 for decoration)and gently fold the chocolate around the cherries, they will be very soft.
• Put in the fridge to chill until cold whilst getting the rest of the layers ready.

White Chocolate Mousse:

• Melt the white chocolate over a bain marie.
• Meanwhile whisk the double cream until thick.
• With the whisk running add the melted chocolate and continue whisking until the mousse is thick, airy and light.

Assembly:

• Using a round 88mm cookie cutter, cut the sponge into 4 circles, (put the scraps to one side for ‘sampling’ later). I used mini 90mm cake boards from Salon Glace to display my cakes on.
• Place a cake round on each board and arrange an acetate cake collar around each one, this can be a bit fiddly but well worth the effort.
• Spoon the ganache equally between the 4 cakes and spread evenly. Allow to chill in the fridge.
• Spoon the white chocolate mousse over the dark chocolate ganache, taking care not to disturb the dark chocolate.
• Chill in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
• Just before serving remove the acetate cake collar and decorate, I decorated with chocolate whipped cream, a chocolate coated cherry and drizzled with chocolate.

I hope you enjoy these little treats!