by Karen Swan

This cake is nothing short of spectacular.  It looks like it would be a complicated process, but it’s actually very simple yet yields jaw dropping results.

When nothing but chocolate cake will do; this is the recipe you need.

Ingredients:

for the cake:

120g unsalted butter

220g dark chocolate (I used a combination of 70% and a block of Lindt Arabica 70%.  One of the choc/chilli blocks would be amazing in this too!)

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cardamon

a pinch of pepper

1/2 tsp of vanilla extract or powder

6 eggs – separated

1/2 cup sugar

for the fudge:

1 cup sugar

3 tbspns water

115g butter

1 cup cream

Salt to serve.

Method:

Preheat your oven to low oven, about 150 to 170 C (depending on how good your oven is! Mine is rubbish, so I always have to up the temperature!)  and grease a 22cm springform cake tin.

Place a small saucepan with a little water in it on a low heat. Break up the chocolate and butter and place in a small bowl that sits on top of the steaming water.

Stir until the butter and chocolate melts.

Allow to cool.

Add the cinnamon, cardamon, pepper and vanilla and stir.

Whisk in the egg yolks.

In a separate, clean metal bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

Slowly add the sugar and continue to whisk until the mix is lovely and glossy and the sugar incorporated.

To add the egg whites to the chocolate/yolk mix, take about a quarter of the whites and mix them into the chocolate, not worrying about being too gentle.  Then slowly and very gently, fold in the remaining whites (it helps to fold in one direction only. Take your time, you want to keep as much air in the whites as you can.

Gently pour the mix into the prepared tin and smooth the top.

Bake for around 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.  The top will crack!

Allow to cool completely before cutting.

To make the fudge:

Over a low heat, in a small saucepan, dissolve the sugar in the water; stirring well.

Add the butter and bring to a gentle boil.

Keep a close eye on it and simmer until it reaches a golden caramel colour.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream.

Return to the low heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.

You can use this as is, as a runny sauce, or you can wait until it cools and sets and dollop on the top of the cake, sprinkled liberally with gorgeous sea salt.

Want more cake recipes?  Click here.

 

**original recipe (slightly adapted) is by Martha Stewart via tartletteblog.com