Gluten-free chocolate almond cake with plums

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 23cm springform tin and line with baking paper.

Place the chocolate and butter in a small saucepan and heat gently until the butter is melted. Cover and sit for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth.

In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and ½ of the sugar until pale and thick. Fold in the chocolate mixture, almonds and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with the remaining sugar until thick and at soft peak stage. Fold in one-third of the egg white mixture into the chocolate batter until mixed, then add the remaining egg white. Fold gently until combined.

Pour the batter into your prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs. The cake should be set on the sides but still a little wobbly in the middle. Cool in the tin on a wire rack, then refrigerate until completely set – about 3 hours. It will naturally crack on the top – don't worry!

While the cake cooks, simmer the chopped plums with the brandy and caster sugar until just cooked. Cool.

To serve, top the cake with cream and stewed plums, drizzling plum juices over last.