This midnight cake is a dessert that exudes extravagance from its utilisation of lush dark chocolate and fresh, sweet berries. Boasting an irresistible fudgy centre, it’s only right you finish it off with a dusting of cocoa powder to complete the look.
Ingredients
- 400 g dark chocolate, chopped finely
- 250 g unsalted butter, chopped
- 1½ cup (330 g) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) water
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 5 eggs, at room temperature, separated
- 1 cup (100 g) hazelnut meal
- 125 g raspberries
- 125 g blueberries
- Cocoa powder, to dust
- Chocolate balls, to serve
Steps
Preheat oven to 180 C (160 C fan-forced). Grease and line the base of a 22 cm spring form cake tin with baking paper.
Place the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not allow base of bowl to touch water). Stir until almost melted, then remove from heat and stir until smooth.
Place the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not allow base of bowl to touch water). Stir until almost melted, then remove from heat and stir until smooth.
Using an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold the egg whites, in two batches, into the chocolate mixture until no pale streaks remain. Transfer half the mixture to a clean bowl and fold in the hazelnut meal.
Transfer hazelnut mixture to the prepared pan. Smooth the top and bake for 20 mins or until skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out almost clean. Remove from oven.
Pour over remaining batter and return to the oven for a further 20 mins. Cool in pan. Serve topped with berries, chocolate balls and dusted with cocoa powder.
Not suitable to freeze. Chocolate and butter suitable to microwave.
Photo: bauersyndication.com.au