Chocolate cherry kirsch hearts

Chocolate has been used to stoke the flames of passions all over the world so let it work its magic with these chocolate cherry kirsch hearts for Valentine's Day. Its powers on the sexual appetite have led to a chocolate ban being imposed in some monasteries. This magical bean contains chemicals thought to effect neurotransmitters in the brain. Legendary bed hopper Casanova was a serious chocolate fanatic and always tucked into some before entering the boudoir.

What you need:

• 150g/5 oz good quality plain chocolate
• 25g/1oz hazelnuts, roasted and chopped
• For the chocolate and cherry loaf:
• 350g/12 oz can black cherries
• 60ml/4 tbsp kirsch liqueur
• 5ml/1tsp almond essence
• 200g/7oz good quality plain chocolate
• 175g/6oz creamed coconut, grated
• 100g/4oz hard (block) vegan margarine
• 200g/7oz vegan oatmeal digestive biscuits
• 50g/2oz hazelnuts, roughly chopped

What you do:

1. Use a medium heart shaped cutter (about 3-4 inches across) to draw 6 heart shapes on a piece of baking parchment, place on a tray or baking sheet.
2. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over simmering water.
3. Spoon into a piping bag and outline the hearts on the baking parchment, then fill in with extra melted chocolate.
4. Sprinkle chopped roasted hazelnuts over two of them and place the tray in the fridge to harden.
5. Lightly oil a 450g/1lb loaf tin and line with baking parchment.
6. Drain the cherries retaining the juice, and reserving 1 tablespoon of cherries.
7. Put the remaining cherries in a bowl and pour over the kirsch liqueur and almond essence.
8. Leave to marinade for 2 hours.
9. Melt the chocolate, creamed coconut and vegan margarine together over a gentle heat.
10. Roughly crush the oatmeal digestive biscuits and stir into the melted mixture with the hazelnuts.
11. Add the marinated cherries and any remaining liquid.
12. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and lightly smooth the top.
13. Cover and chill for 2 hours.
14. Turn out and cut 4 slices, each 1cm/1/2" thick.
15. Use the cutter to cut out a heart from each.
16. Place a plain chocolate heart on a serving plate.
17. Top with a chocolate and cherry loaf heart, repeat, then top with a nutty chocolate heart.
18. Use the remaining hearts to make a second stack.
19. Chill until ready to serve.
20. Chop the reserved cherries and mix with a little of the reserved juice (sweeten with a little icing sugar if required).
21. Drizzle onto the plates around the hearts just before serving.

Recipe created by the Cordon Vert cookery school

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