Cherry, Almond and Chocolate Mini Cakes
I have been eating cherries like crazy the last few weeks. Sometimes I don’t even like to bake with them because they are so fantastic on their own, fresh, plump and juicy. I love to watch my son eat them even though that means he will stain his shirts and that will be the end of them. All so very worth it.
So these are chocolate almond cakes with pieces of cherry inside that I baked in mini ramekins. I love how moist yet dense they are. A little goes a long way with this cake.
Cherry, Almond and Chocolate Cake
175 grams almond paste
3 eggs
50 grams butter
90 grams bittersweet chocolate
30 grams flour
2 grams baking powder
cherries, pitted and cut into medium dice
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the almond paste with one egg with the paddle attachment. When this becomes a smooth mixture, add the rest of the eggs and switch to the whip attachment. Whip this for about 5 minutes until light and fluffly.
In the meantime, melt the butter and the chocolate over a double boiler. When the eggs have become thick and make a ribbon, turn the machine to low and add the melted chocolate and butter. Mix until combined. Add the flour and baking powder and mix. Fold in the pieces of cherry.
Refrigerate the batter for a couple of hours. Pipe into molds (half way up) and bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes. When the cake has almost set completely, place a whole cherry with its stem on top, let the cake finish baking for another 3 minutes or so.
I know this is a short post. Short but sweet. Have a wonderful weekend!
Aran, you make me wish I hadn’t eaten all those cherries I got at the farmer’s market last saturday.
Beautiful.
xx fanny
Apparemment, ça se laisse manger. Rien que les photos, sont une invitation gourmande.
These look like heaven! I’m a cherry lover too, but I haven’t really had any yet this summer. I think I’m going to have go find some today!
p.s. Thanks for stopping by, no need to apologize, up until last weekend I had well over a 1000 posts to read in my blog feed…yikes!
Aran, your photos of them look so beautiful!! Your son and husband must really be so happy that they get to indulge in such beautiful treats every day!
I’ve probably said this before, but your son is so gorgeous! Those cakes look great too – I’m still incredibly jealous that you’re enjoying the bounty of Summer while I’m stuck here in Winter :)
I love how your son relishes what you make. Your pastries are always very elegant, but seeing them squished between your adorable son’s fingers makes them even more appetizing.
Astrid’s comments are spot on…and
what an intimate shoot–everything is shot so genuinely and lovingly.
I love how you use kitchen string–I have a thing for kitchen string and bakery twine…)
as always, looks delicous
Aran, you are extremely talented, those photographs are unbelievable.
beautiful……..can’t wait to see what you cook up next.
Your desserts are exquisite. And your photography as well. I’ll be back for more recipes!
What sweet pictures of your little boy! :) The cakes sound perfect!
I love your photos, the dessert looks wonderful! Cherries and chocolate – delish!
Aran- I just bought cherries yesterday to make cherry almond cakes. I can’t seem to get enough of them and to my surprise am surrounded by non cherry lovers. I am sure the stains of both cherries and chocolate are worth it.
Miam… I love cherries too and I think when I start eating one, I can’t stop!!
You have the most beautiful blog!
it looks just gorgeous :) I already love it !
Oh gorgeous, those cakes look nearly fudge like!!!
i just picked up some cherries yesterday. beautiful, firm, dark and sweet. beautiful application as always aran!
I, too, love cherries. I rarely seem to get a chance to bake with them though since it’s so hard to resist eating them fresh.
I wish they had offered impulse control as an elective at chef school.
my word, you! your photographs!
I’ve been trying to think of something to do with all the cherries I bought this week…I was thinking cheesecake, but these look oh so fun. Thanks for the idea!
oh Aran your boy eats cakes the way I do… fearless. As usual beautiful, i love cherries this one will have to be bookmarked until our season starts. Ali
I just love seeing pictures of your son! You are such a great mom, well I am sure of it even though we have never met. The cakes? Yum…like little fudgy bites of chocolate…a truffle with a surprise! And that is coing from someone who does not like fruits in her chocolate :)
Definitely worth the stains! These look incredible!
Those are gorgeous!
Although I agree, I love to just eat cherries plucked from the tree without doing anything to them!
How seriously adorable and awesome are these pictures! And on top of that it sounds delicious too!
Your little cakes are adorable! I love cherries and chocolate together!
Looks like one happy boy.
Aran,
Zure blogera sartzen naizen bakoitzean harritzen nauzu, hemen ere gereziak jan eta jan ari gara, eta errezeta hau probatu beharko dugu!
De pequeña me ponía ciega de cerezas en verano y cogía unos cólicos… Y cuando estaba enferma sólo pensaba en comer… bocadillo de chorizo! Me has traído muchos recuerdos, como siempre.
… Y además aquí hay chocolate implicado…mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
:)
Aran, my dear friend Ms. Bonbon Oiseau introduced me to your stunning blog recently. It’s really breathtaking.
We baked up your delicious matcha diamants this week, and I just posted about it on my tea and dessert blog if you’d like to take a look.
I also just posted about sour-cherry pie yesterday- cherries are so, so good and while it’s difficult to not just devour them immediately, it’s worth the wait to cook with them. Their succulent, fragrant fruitiness seems to embody summer itself, even among the steamy, gray concrete of NYC.
Wow, who wouldn’t be eating these beauties like crazy? :)
Delicious cakes, Aran. Love cherries and chocolate together.
This is one of my favorite combinations–how gorgeous and flavorful. Cherries are just so visceral–but so delightful.
Love this! The mini cakes all wrapped up are too cute! The flavors are just wonderful too!
Love it! OK… love anything with almond paste!
Breathtaking. Just… breathtaking.
Adorable! (the cakes and the kid :)
I love cherries, too…eat them nonstop in the summer.
mmmm…beautiful pics. cherries are my favorite thing about summer!~
Delightful and decadent! I’ve been a cherry fiend lately too.
Made these and will be teaching them in a cooking class on picnic food (will give you credit of course!). They are delicious. Thanks so much for sharing!
I’ve just discovered your wonderful blog… I love all your recipes, desserts ones in particular !! Have a nice day ! :)