My Favourite Chocolate Cake

So, this is my recipe for chocolate almond cake. It is based on one I found in a cook book I was given several years ago. Since then it has always been my go to cake to bake and over time I have just adapted the recipe. From a mug cake version to a salted caramel number for a dinner party or just my usual, pile on the cream and top with curls of chocolate, I LOVE THIS CAKE!!

Ingredients:

• 150 grams of dark chocolate (at least 70%)
• 50 grams of milk chocolate
• 200g of salted butter
• 70ml of double cream
• 3 eggs separated
• 40 grams of caster sugar or honey
• 150 grams of ground almonds
• 30 grams of cocoa powder (optional)
• flaked salt or ground almonds to dust.

Method:

1. Melt the chocolate, butter and cream in a small heat proof bowl in the microwave for 30 second blasts until it is all combined. Leave to cool.
2. Place the egg whites into a small bowl with half the sugar and whisk to a soft peak. I would recommend using an electric whisk for this.
3. Place the egg yolks and the rest of the sugar in a large bowl and whisk until the mixture becomes a pale yellow-orange and firmer in texture.
4. Add half the chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture and stir until it is an consistency then add the rest of the chocolate mixture and the almonds and cocoa powder and repeat.
5. Finally, add one table spoon of the egg whites into the mixture and whisk gently. Fold in the rest of the egg whites until the mixture is an even consistency.
6. Pour the mixture into a bottom lined 8 to 11 inch round cake tin then bake at 180C for about 15-20 minutes. At this stage the cake should look browned on top and raised but the center of the cake should still be batter. Remove the cake from the oven and leave it to cool and set or serve warm and runny.