Ingredients

Cake:

8 oz (225 gr.) good quality plain chocolate

6 oz (175 gr.) unsaltened butter

8 oz (225 gr.) caster sugar

4 tbsp plain flour

6 eggs, seperated.

Coating:

8 oz (225 gr.) good quality plain chocolate

8 oz (225 gr.) double cream.

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/350 degrees F/Gas mark 4.
  2. Grease and line the cake tin with greaseproof paper.
  3. Melt the chocolate in a bowl, over a saucepan of simmering water or an a low heat in a microwave.
  4. Mix in the butter and stir until melted.
  5. Add the flour, sugar and lightly beaten egg yolks.
  6. Whisk the egg whites until stiff.
  7. Gently fold half of the whites into the chocolate mixture, mixing thoroughly.
  8. Then carefully fold in the remaining whites.
  9. Cook for approx 35 minutes. There will be a thin crust on top of the cake and if tested with a skewer the inside will appear insufficiently cooked, but don’t worry as this is the character of the cake and it gets firmer as it cools.
  10. Leave to cool in the tin on a wire rack.
  11. When cool enough to handle remove the cake tin and discard the greaseproof paper.
  12. Melt the chocolate and cream in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until the chocolate is blended with the cream.
  13. Allow to cool slightly
  14. The cake is prone to sinking slightly in the middle, so place upside down for coating.
  15. With a palette knife carefully spread the chocolate coating all over the cake
  16. Allow to set in a cool place before serving.