Serves 8 - 10

50g prunes, stones removed and roughly chopped

¼ cup whisky

100g whole almonds

210g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces (I used Whittaker’s Dark Ghana – 72%)

125g butter, cut into small pieces

3 large eggs, separated

½ cup caster sugar

¼ cup plain flour

a pinch of cream of tartar

The day before – soak the prunes in the whisky.

Preheat the oven to 190°C.  Grease and line a 20cm round tin with baking paper.

Place the almonds in a shallow baking tray and place in the oven to toast. Keep an eye on them - they should take about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool then chop evenly and reasonably finely.

Place the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of lightly simmering water and melt. Remove bowl from the heat and add the butter and allow to melt.

Beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale. Fold in the chocolate mixture, the toasted almonds and the flour. (I like to sift the flour over the mixture before folding in). Fold in the prunes and whisky.

Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Fold 1 tablespoon into the chocolate mixture to loosen then fold in the remaining egg whites.

Gently pour into the prepared tin and place in the oven to bake for 35-40 minutes.  Insert a skewer in the centre of the cake, it should come out clean.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.

Serve dusted with icing sugar and lightly whipped cream flavoured with a little extra whisky, if you wish. Remember less is more so flavour with care. You can sweeten the cream with icing sugar as well as flavouring with whisky.