Instructions: Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas4. Line the base and sides of a 20cm loose based spring form cake tin. Place the chocolate into a heatproof bowl with the brandy and melt on a double boiler.

Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Stir in the ground almonds, egg yolks, boiling water, cherries, melted chocolate mix. Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Using a large metal spoon gently stir in a quarter into the chocolate mix then fold in the remainder. Pour into a prepared/lined tin and bake for 25-30 minutes until just firm. Remove from the oven to cool in the tin.

Compote: Place all the ingredients into a pan (except the cherries) and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Bring up to the boil, and reduce by half, strain the liquid. Add the cherries and bring back to the boil. Pour into a jar and cool or use warm. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

To decorate melt the chocolate and place into a piping bag to pipe decoration of your choice, to serve, dust with the cocoa and the icing sugar and brandied cherries. Drizzle cherry juice and cherries around the outside of the plate.

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