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A beautiful looking and indulgent treat for Valentine's Day. [Photo: Vegetarian Society]

Chocolate cherry kirsch hearts

These indulgent little chocolate treats are egg, dairy, gluten and wheat free and if you use vegan margarine they are also suitable for vegans.

Using organic ingredients where available will give them an extra healthy boost. Serves 4

Ingredients

For the chocolate hearts

• 150g (5 oz) good quality plain chocolate
• 25g (appx 1 oz) hazelnuts, roasted and chopped

For the chocolate and cherry loaf:

• 350g (12.5 oz) can black cherries
• 4 tbsp kirsch liqueur
• 1tsp almond essence
• 200g (7 oz) good quality plain chocolate
• 175g (6 oz)creamed coconut, grated
• 100g (3.5 oz) hard (block) margarine or vegan margarine
• 200g (7 oz) vegan oatmeal digestive biscuits
• 50g (1.5 oz) hazelnuts, roughly chopped

Method

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. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over simmering water. Spoon into a piping bag and outline the hearts on the baking parchment, then fill in with extra melted chocolate. Sprinkle chopped roasted hazelnuts over two of them and place the tray in the fridge to harden.

2 Lightly oil a 450g (1lb) loaf tin and line with baking parchment. Drain the cherries retaining the juice, and reserving 1 tablespoon of cherries. Put the remaining cherries in a bowl and pour over the kirsch liqueur and almond essence. Leave to marinate for 2 hours.

3 Melt the chocolate, creamed coconut and margarine together over a gentle heat. Roughly crush the oatmeal digestive biscuits and stir into the melted mixture with the hazelnuts. Add the marinated cherries and any remaining liquid. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and lightly smooth the top. Cover and chill for 2 hours.

4 Turn out and cut 4 slices, each 1cm (1/2 inch) thick. Use the cutter to cut out a heart from each. Place a plain chocolate heart on a serving plate. Top with a chocolate and cherry loaf heart, repeat, then top with a nutty chocolate heart.

5 Use the remaining hearts to make a second stack. Chill until ready to serve. Chop the reserved cherries and mix with a little of the reserved juice (sweeten with a little icing sugar). Drizzle onto the plates around the hearts just before serving.

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