More chocolate - this time with cherries...

Cherries and chocolate: I know, this is turning into the chocolate blog, but I couldn't resist. Being a chocolate snob I normally don't go for Green & Black's dark chocolate - too bitter and the texture is powdery which is, frankly, a little unsettling. Thankfully a former flatmate, Sophie, introduced me to Green & Black's cherry dark chocolate bar, and I've been hooked ever since so I hereby apportion credit to the lovely lady for breaking me of my snottiness about Green & Black's. Or at least the cherry version of G&B.  

Having decided to make a cake out of said chocolate, I then happily discovered the cake actually improves with age. Make sure you keep it in an airtight container for a few days and taste for yourself. Must be the yogurt and wholemeal flour. Also, try making this with extra cherries (see suggestion below) if you like very tart things. 

I certainly do.

Ingredients: 

• 100g bar of Green & Black's cherry dark chocolate
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 150g butter
• 150g light brown sugar
• 2 medium eggs
• 125g plain self-raising flour
• 85g wholemeal plain flour
• 2 tbsp plain yogurt
• 1 tsp instant coffee mixed with a splash of boiling water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• pinch salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C. Lightly grease a 20cm round cake tin. Boil some water and pour in a small-medium saucepan.

In a medium bowl, place the butter, chocolate and cocoa powder. Place this over the saucepan of hot water and allow to melt. The water should simmer so you may want to turn the hob on.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and sugar in another bowl til they reach a light, mousse consistency. Sift the flours, bicarb and salt in and stir very gingerly with a large metal spoon. Then add the melted chocolate mixture, the coffee, vanilla and yogurt. Stir again, and add a little more water if the mixture looks thick and unmanageable. You should be able to drop the mixture from the spoon within 1-2 seconds.

Finally, place this delectable chocolate mixture into your cake tin and bake on the centre oven shelf for 25-30 minutes. The cake's ready when you insert a skewer and no wet mixture remains when you take it out. The cake will keep for a few days, it's quite moist.

* mmm, cherries and chocolate ;-) If you have a real hankering for lots of cherries then get a pack of dried sour cherries and soak them for 10 minutes in boiling water before adding to the cake mixture. Mmm...