Photo by Julie O’Malley
Ultimate Chocolate Cake
For the cake:
butter for greasing cake tin
175g fine dark chocolate
115g butter
3 tbsp water
3 eggs
140g caster sugar
85g ground almonds
55g SR flour
pinch salt
For the topping:
115g fine dark chocolate
2 tbsp sour cream
For the decoration: (optional)
flaked almonds
1. Set the oven to 190c. Grease the cake tin, then cut out a circle of baking parchment and line the base of the tin with it.
2. Break the chocolate into a bowl. Stand it over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until all the chocolate is melted (or melt in microwave).
3. Cut the butter into small pieces. Add the butter and water to the chocolate and stir until the butter has melted.
4. Separate the eggs into two large bowls. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until they are thick and creamy.
5. Stir the chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Add the ground almonds, sift in the flour, and mix well.
6. Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they form stiff peaks. Fold them gently into the chocolate mixture.
7. Put the mixture into the tin. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Cool in the tin for five minutes, then move to a wire rack.
Topping:
1. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water (or melt in microwave). Remove from the heat and stir in the soured cream.
2. Spread the chocolate topping over the top of the cooled cake with a palette knife, then decorate it with flaked almonds.