Method
1. Preheat oven to 200°C / 180° fan / gas 4. Line a large baking tray and set aside.2. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder into a bowl.
3. Place a pan of water on the hob and bring to a gentle boil. Place 175g of the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl then place on top of the saucepan, taking care that it doesn’t touch the water. Stir through until the chocolate and butter is melted then remove and leave to cool.
4. Using a bowl or stand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar together until pale and light. Add the vanilla and melted chocolate mixture and gently mix again until just combined.
5. Next add the flour mixture and stir through until mixture is even and chocolatey in colour.
6. Add golf-ball sized spoonfuls of cake batter onto the lined baking tray, spaced about 3cm apart, and shape the mounds into hearts with moistened fingertips. Press cherry halves cut-side down into the mixture then bake in the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes.
7. Remove and leave to rest for 5 minutes until cool enough to handle. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely then melt the remaining 50g of chocolate in a saucepan and drizzle over the biscuits before leaving to set. Enjoy!
Ingredients
• 125g plain flour
• 30g best quality cocoa powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 225g best quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• 100g unsalted butter
• 2 eggs
• 130g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 jar Opies Cocktail Cherries, drained and cherries halved
