Black Forest Mini Meringue Cakes - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 2/3 cup granulated sugar
4 medium eggs, separated
1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp cocoa powder
9 oz dark chocolate, (2 oz grated, 7oz chopped into chunks)
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
12 oz jar or can black cherries, drained

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350\u00b0F. Grease and flour a 24 cup mini muffin tray. Using an electric hand whisk, cream the butter with the vanilla and 2/3 cup sugar in a large bowl. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, then mix in the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and 2 oz of grated chocolate along with 1/2 cup cream.
With two thirds of the cake mixture, divide between the 24 muffin cups, reserving one third for second batch. Bake for 12-15 mins. Take out of the oven, cool 5 mins, then carefully remove the cakes from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack. Wipe, grease and flour 12 cups, fill with remaining third of the cake mixture, bake for 12-15 mins, then remove and cool.
Using the electric hand whisk, whisk the egg whites, pinch of salt and 1 cup sugar in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water until the meringue is shiny and forms peaks. Spoon the mixture into a large piping bag with a large straight tip.
Place a cherry on top of each cake, then pipe a large, pointy swirl of meringue on top to cover the cherry. Heat 1 cup cream in a pan, add the 7 oz chopped chocolate, then take off the heat when the chocolate has melted, stirring gently to make a smooth icing. Leave to cool and thicken. Dip a spoon into the icing and coat one cake at a time over the meringue. Leave to set for about an hour.