Chocolate and Raspberry Truffle Bites

method:

• Preheat your oven to 170C (Fan 150C)/325F/Gas 3. Line the base and sides of a 20cm square tin with non-stick baking parchment.
• Melt the unsalted butter and dark chocolate with raspberries together in a bowl over a pan of simmering water – stir occasionally until smooth. Leave for about five minutes or until the mixture has cooled slightly. Stir in the egg yolks, ground almonds and the almond extract.
• Whisk the egg whites in a clean separate bowl until soft peaks form. Continue whisking, adding the sugar a spoonful at a time. Whisk well between each addition until all the sugar is incorporated and stiff peaks form.
• Stir 2 tbsp of the beaten egg white into the chocolate mixture then gently fold in the remainder of the egg white.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 25-30 minutes until well risen and just firm to the touch. This cake can be made up to four days ahead and stored in an airtight container. Freezes for one month.
• When you’re ready to cover the cake, stamp individual rounds out of the cake using a 3.8cm (1 1/2in) cutter. You should get 25 rounds.
• Place the very finely grated chocolate in three separate bowls. Place each bowl over a separate saucepan of simmering water. Stir continuously and remove from the heat as soon as the chocolate is melted. Use immediately.
• Working on no more than five cakes at a time, transfer them onto a wire rack with a sheet of non-stick greaseproof paper underneath the tray. Using a large metal spoon or small ladle, spoon the melted chocolate all over the cakes until they’re fully covered. Gently tap the tray to settle the chocolate.
• Before the chocolate sets, dip a fork in a contrasting chocolate and marble over the cake to create interesting swirl patterns. Once the chocolate begins to set, decorate the top of each truffle with grated white chocolate. Allow the cakes to set fully before using a palette knife to transfer the cakes to a serving plate.