So, here’s a slight tweak on the recipe, which is so simple and the end result is a rather lovely soft chocolate brownie type of treat. There was a nice hint of the richness from the coffee-flavoured chocolate too. Perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
100g soft brown caster sugar
100g dark chocolate (I used 50g each of the above two bars, and the end result was a lovely rich flavour)
100g organic unsalted butter (and a little extra to grease the tin)
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 medium-sized free range eggs, separated.
40g sifted plain flour (and a little extra for the tin)
50g finely ground hazelnuts.
A little bit of extra brown sugar for the top before putting in the oven.
Method- written in easy speak!
Firstly, grease and flour a 20cm springform cake tin so it’s ready for action.
In a non-stick pan, slowly melt the sugar and the butter together. Once fully melted, add the chocolate and again slowly melt.
Transfer to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes.
Whilst the chocolatey mixture is cooling, turn on the oven to around 170c for fan-assisted.
Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Whisk up the egg whites (ideally with an electric hand whisk) until they’re doing that stiff peaks thing.
Once the chocolate mixture is cool, add in the egg yolks and vanilla extract and mix well.
Add in the sifted flour and mix, followed by the ground hazelnuts.
The last step is the only one that needs a tiny bit of discipline, which is folding in the egg whites. The aim is to add them in slowly and carefully to keep as much ‘fluff’ in the mix as possible. Fold in to the chocolate mix a spoon/scoop at a time and slowly combine.
Once done, transfer the mix to the baking tin and sprinkle the top with a little bit of brown sugar.
Bake for around 25-30 minutes (check after 25 minutes) . The less cooking time, the softer the cake. Some people prefer it like this.
Once cooked, allow to cool for 15 minutes in the tin before transferring to a wire rack.
Slice, serve and enjoy!
This really is waaay tasty- try it!
Sounds (and looks) fantastic. I have a nut-allergic at home—any ideas for a good substitute for the hazelnuts?
Well done on the 10K, by the way.
Thanks Paul – are pumpkin seeds worth a bash? Roughly chopped so they don't turn into paste! Also, if doing that ,might be worth trying with self-raising flour instead. It's quite a squat little cake!
Thanks, I'll give that a go. I suspect pumpkin seeds will be cheap for the next while.
Heh-heh & thanks – first chuckle of the day!