Chocolate & Raspberry Bites

by Mich Turner

These rich, indulgent Divine chocolate and raspberry bites are baked without flour. The ground almonds provide a nutty taste and texture. This cake holds together well and cuts beautifully. It is naturally shallow which makes it a perfect cake for cutting out individuals. 

Ingredients
100g unsalted butter – diced plus extra for greasing
Flour for dusting
140g Divine 70% Dark Chocolate with Raspberries broken into pieces
6 large free range eggs separated
140g ground almonds
1tsp almond extract
85 g golden caster sugar

To Cover
4 bars of 100g Divine White Chocolate or White Chocolate with Strawberries
4 bars of 100g Milk Chocolate
4 bars of 100g 70% Dark Chocolate

Chocolate decorations – create simple chocolate decorations by grating a block of Divine White Chocolate on a cheese grater.

Method
1. Preheat oven to 170C fan oven 150C. Line the base and sides of an 8” / 20cm square tin with non-stick baking parchment.
2. Melt the unsalted butter and 70% Dark Chocolate with Raspberries

together in a bowl over a pan of simmering water – stir occasionally until smooth. Leave for 5 minutes to cool slightly
3. Stir in the egg yolks, ground almonds and almond extract.
4. Whisk the egg whites in a clean separate bowl until soft peaks form. Continue whisking adding the sugar a spoonful at a time. Whisk well between each addition until all incorporated and stiff peaks form.
5. Stir 2 tbsp egg white into chocolate mixture then gently fold in the remainder
6. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 25-30 minutes until well risen and just firm to the touch.

Can be kept up to 4 days ahead and stored in an airtight container. Freezes for one month.

To Cover:
TIP – melted chocolate needs to be tempered to avoid the chocolate blooming and appearing dull as it sets. An easy way round this is to first grate the chocolate really finely using a cheese grated so it melts faster at a lower temperature. If the chocolate melts before it gets too hot it does not need to be tempered.

7. Stamp individual rounds out of the cake using a 1.5” cutter ( you should get 25)
8. Place the very finely grated chocolate in 3 separate bowls. Place each over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir continuously and remove form the heat as soon as the chocolate is melted. Use immediately.
9. Working on no more than 5 cakes at a time, Set these on a wire rack with a sheet of non-stick greaseproof paper underneath the tray. Using a large metal spoon or small ladle, spoon melted chocolate over the cakes until fully covered. Gently tap the tray to settle the chocolate
10. Before the chocolate sets, dip a fork in a contrasting chocolate and marble over the cake creating interesting swirls as shown. Once the chocolate begins to set decorate the top of each truffle with chocolate decorations. Allow the cakes to set before using a palette knife to transfer the cakes to a serving plate.

© All rights reserved – Mich Turner 2009