A rich cake, ideal to serve as a treat for
anyone who is a self-confessed chocoholic.
Ingredients : Makes one 23cm round cake
115 g
90 g
50 g
4
1.5 ml
65 g
For the topping
75 ml
250 ml
15 ml
175 g
75 g
Plain chocolate
Unsalted butter, at room temperature
Sugar
Eggs, separated, plus 1 egg white
Salt
Plain flour, sifted
Apricot jam
Water
Unsalted butter
Plain chocolate
Sugar
Ready-made chocolate decorating icing
Method :
Preheat the oven to 160oC/325oF/Gas
3. Line and grease a 23cm cake tin.
Melt the chocolate in the top of a
double boiler and set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar until light
and fluffy. Stir in the chocolate, then beat in the egg yolks, one at a
time.
Beat the egg whites with the salt
until stiff. Fold a dollop of whites into the chocolate mixture to
lighten it. Fold in the remaining whites in three batches, alternating
with the sifted flour. Pour into the tin and bake until a skewer comes
out clean, about 45 minutes. Turn out on to a wire rack.
Meanwhile, melt the jam with 15 ml of
the water, then strain for a smooth consistency. For the frosting, melt
the butter and chocolate in the top of a double boiler. In a heavy
saucepan, dissolve the sugar in the remaining water, then boil until it
reaches 107oC/225oF (thread stage) on a sugar
thermometer.
Plunge the base of the pan into cold
water for 1 minute. Stir into the chocolate. Cool for a few minutes.
Brush the warm jam over the cake. Pour
over the frosting and spread over the top and sides. Leave to set
overnight. Decorate with chocolate icing.