Lush Chocolate Cakes with Cherries Aberlour

This is a velvety, soft centred chocolate dessert, influenced by the French Moelleux au Chocolat. They are desserts rather than cakes because they are best served warm. The cherries are fabulous when marinated the rich cask strength Aberlour a'bunadh, juicy, sweet and luscious.

Serves 4

125g dark chocolate, 60% or more cocoa solids
65g unsalted butter
Aberlour a’bunadh Malt Whisky
3 large free range eggs, separated
125g caster sugar
30g plain flour, sifted
pinch of salt
12 morello cherries (bottled)

Preheat oven to 180C/Gas 4
You will need 4 cake rings or ramekins.
Place 12 cherries in a bowl with the whisky and set aside. They can marinate for up to 24 hours.
Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of simmering water (or carefully in the microwave) stir in the whisky.  Lightly whisk the egg yolks, add them to the chocolate and mix together. Add the sugar and the flour a spoonful at a time whisking until smooth. Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks, do not over beat. Now a little at a time carefully incorporate the egg whites into the chocolate mixture taking care not to lose the air.

Butter the insides of the cake rings and place them on a baking tray lined with a non stick silpat mat or greased greaseproof paper. Butter both sides of strips of greaseproof paper wide enough to line the cake rings and come a further 2cm/1inch above the top. Line the sides with the strips of greaseproof paper.  Divide the mixture between the ramekins and place 2 cherries in the centre of each one.*  Bake for 15 minutes or until well risen and set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 3 minutes in the rings, then turn out on to the plates and serve immediately dusted with sieved cocoa powder or icing sugar.

*you can prepare to this stage earlier in the day and bake at the last minute because they only take 15 minutes in the oven.

To Serve
With a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a little chocolate sauce.   Enjoy!