Black Forest Cakes
425g can pitted cherries in syrup
165g butter, chopped coarsely
100g dark eating chocolate, chopped coarsely
1 1/3 cups (295g) caster sugar
1/4 cup (60ml) cherry brandy
1 cup (150g) plain flour
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons self-raising flour
1 egg
Decorations:
2/3 cup (160ml) thickened cream, whipped
2 teaspoon cherry brandy
100g dark eating chocolate
1. Preheat oven to moderately slow (170 C/150 C fan-forced). Line 6-hole texas or 12-hole standard muffin pan with paper cases.
2. Drain cherries, reserve syrup. Process 1/2 cup (110g) cherries with 1/2 cup (125ml) of the syrup until smooth. Halve remaining cherries, reserve for decorating cakes. Discard remaining syrup.
3. Combine butter, chocolate, sugar, brandy and cherry puree in small saucepan; stir over low heat until chocolate is melted. Transfer mixture to medium bowl; cool 15 minutes.
4. Whisk in sifted flours and cocoa, then egg. Divide mixture among cases; smooth surface.
5. Bake large cakes about 55 minutes, small cakes about 45 minutes. Turn cakes onto wire rack to cool.
6. Top cakes with remaining cherry halves and combined cream and cherry brandy. Using a vegetable peeler, make small chocolate curls; sprinkle over cakes.