Prune & Armagnac Cake

Alcoholic Desserts Food Vegetarian

A lovely alternative to something more traditional. The longer you soak the prunes before using, the better the flavour.

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Ingredients

250g dark chocolate, chopped

200g salted butter

5 eggs, separated

100g raw cane sugar

75g plain flour

75g ground almonds

To dust cocoa powder

For the Soaked Prunes

3 tbsp Armagnac brandy

1 orange zest, grated

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp mixed spice

1⁄2 tsp ground nutmeg

Pinch ground cloves

130g soft, pitted prunes

Method

Soak prunes in water at least one day prior to baking or several weeks in advance in a sterilised jar. Their flavour will improve immeasurably over time.
Put Armagnac, orange zest, cinnamon, mixed spice, nutmeg and cloves in a saucepan
and bring to the boil.
Put drained prunes in a heatproof bowl, pour the hot soaking liquid over them and allow to cool completely. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave overnight.
Next day, preheat the oven to 180˚C. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (not letting the base of the bowl touch the water). Stir occasionally until melted, then remove from heat.
Put egg whites and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in a stand mixer or in a bowl and whisk until it forms stiff peaks
In a separate bowl or stand mixer, whisk egg yolks and remaining sugar for about 5 minutes until you can lift up the beaters and leave a figure-of-eight ribbon trail in the mixture.
Stir melted chocolate mixture into egg yolks.
Put soaked prunes in a food processor and process to a purée. Add them to the chocolate, egg and sugar mixture and stir well.
Fold flour and almonds into the mixture with a large, metal spoon. Lastly, fold in the egg white mix very gently in three stages so as not to knock all the air out.
Spoon the mixture into a prepared cake pan and bake in preheated oven for about 30–40 minutes.
Allow to cool and dust with cocoa powder.
Serve with ice cream, brandy crème anglaise or a dollop of cream.