Sour cherry and chocolate cake

Ingredients

• 500 ml water
• 200 g Fine Carre dark chocolate from Lidl
• 220 ml whipping cream
• 800 g pitted sour cherries
• 5 tablespoons brown sugar
• 80 g butter with 80% fat
• 8 egg yolks
• 8 egg whites
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons sugar
• 8 tablespoons flour
• 10 g baking powder

Preparation

1. Heat 500 ml water in a saucepan for a double boiler. Set a bowl with the dark chocolate and whipping cream over it and stir for 5 minutes, just until the chocolate melts; the mixture should not boil. Transfer the bowl to the fridge for 2 hours, until the cream is cold and firm. 2. Heat the oven to 180 °C. Put the sour cherries in a 24 × 36 cm baking tray lined with baking paper, toss them with the brown sugar and bake for 30 minutes, until they release their juice and the syrup starts to thicken. 3. Take the tray out and drain the syrup from the cherries. Line the tray again with baking paper and arrange the drained fruit in a single layer. 4. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat for 2 minutes, then leave it to cool for 10 minutes. Mix it with the egg yolks. 5. Beat the egg whites with the salt until foamy, add the sugar and keep beating until you have stiff meringue. Fold in the yolks and butter with slow, upward strokes, then add the flour and baking powder. 6. Spread the batter over the sour cherries and bake at 180 °C for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the sponge comes out clean. 7. Turn the cake out onto another tray as soon as you take it out of the oven. Peel off the baking paper and leave it to cool for 1 hour, then cut out discs. 8. Whip the cold cream until fluffy and holding its shape. Put it in a piping bag and decorate each disc.