Black forest chocolate fudge

Makes about 40 pieces For the Fudge:

 100g dried sour cherries

 50ml kirsch

 500g caster sugar

 170g evaporated milk

 170ml full cream milk

 50g unsalted butter

 Pinch of salt

 125g dark chocolate,

chopped

 1tbsp cocoa powder, sifted to decorate:

 75g white chocolate,

melted

 10g freeze dried

raspberries

1 Tip the cherries and kirsch into a small pan set over a low heat. Gently warm the kirsch but don’t allow it to boil. Stir well, remove from the heat, and leave until cold and the cherries are plump, juicy and have absorbed the liquid.

2

Tip the caster sugar into a large, solid bottomed saucepan – with a capacity of at least 2½ litres. Add the evaporated milk, full cream milk, butter and a pinch of salt.

3

Place the pan over a low heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Put a sugar thermometer in and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and continue cooking, without stirring, at a low-steady boil until it reaches 114C.

4

Add the kirsch soaked cherries, immediately remove the pan from the heat and leave for 1-2 minutes, until the bubbling subsides. 5 Place the chopped chocolate and sifted cocoa in a large mixing bowl and pour over the hot fudge mixture. Stir to combine and leave to cool for 10 minutes. 6

Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, beat the fudge until it becomes slightly grainy, thickens and cools.

7

Add the soaked cherries and mix to combine. Pour the fudge into an 18-20cm square tin, lined with non-stick parchment. Spread level using the back of a spoon or palette knife and leave until completely cold and firm – at least four hours but preferably overnight.

8

Drizzle over the white chocolate to decorate, then top with crumbled freeze dried raspberries. Cut the lot into small squares.

9

Will keep in an airtight box between layers of greaseproof paper for up to one week.