Luxury chocolate cake

10 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
175 grams Waitrose Plain Continental Chocolate; (6oz)
90 millilitres Tia Maria; (6tbsp)
175 grams Olivio spread; (6oz)
175 grams Caster sugar; (6oz)
6 Eggs; (medium), separated
75 grams Waitrose Self Raising Flour; sifted (2 3/4oz)
75 grams Ground almonds; (2 3/4oz)
225 grams Waitrose Continental Plain Chocolate; (8oz)
250 millilitres Double cream; (9fl oz)
2 Egg yolks; (medium)
25 grams Caster sugar; (1oz)
45 millilitres Tia Maria; (3tbsp)
67 grams Icing sugar; (1 1/2lb)
25 grams Butter; melted (1oz)
75 millilitres Milk; (5tbsp)
1 200 g pack Waitrose White Chocolate
50 grams Waitrose Plain Continental Chocolate; (2oz)
50 grams Waitrose White Chocolate; (2oz)

Directions

THE SPONGE

THE GANACHE

THE WHITE ICING

OPTIONAL HOLLY LEAVES

Grease and line a 23cm (9") deep, loose-bottomed cake tin with greaseproof paper.

Melt the chocolate with the Tia Maria in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.

Cream the Olivio with the sugar until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in the egg yolks. Cool the melted chocolate slightly and beat into the egg mixture.

Fold in the flour and almonds. Whisk the egg whites and fold into the sponge mixture with a metal spoon.

Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake in a preheated oven at 180øC, 350øF, gas mark 4, for 40-45 minutes. (To make sure the cake is cooked insert a small knife or metal skewer into the centre of the cake – if it comes out clean it is cooked). Leave the cake to cool before removing from the tin.

To make the ganache, melt the chocolate with half of the cream in a small bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar and add to the chocolate mixture. Add the remaining cream, and allow to cool.

Cut the cake carefully into 3 even horizontal slices. Brush one side of each slice with 15ml (1tbsp) Tia Maria and spread with the ganache.

Layer together.

To make the white icing, mix together all the ingredients, except the chocolate, until smooth and spreadable, adding a little more milk if it is too thick. Spread over the top and sides of the cake, making sure it is completely covered.

Coarsely grate the chocolate and place in the freezer for a few minutes to firm up. Coat the cake with the grated chocolate.

To make the holly leaf decorations, line a baking tray with waxed paper.

Melt the plain and white chocolate separately and pour into two piping bags. Pipe the plain chocolate onto the waxed paper to make the outlines of sixteen holly leaves and leave to set. Fill in the shapes with the white chocolate and, while it is still runny, pipe on more of the plain chocolate to create the veins of the leaves. Leave to set and then decorate the cake.

Converted by MC_Buster.

NOTES : A very special chocolate cake, flavoured with Tia Maria coffee liqueur. Serve with tea or coffee or as a dessert.

Converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.

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