Homemade Recipes

Ingredients:

225g dark chocolate , 60% cocoa solids

175g butter, chopped

2 tsp rose water

1 tsp instant coffee powder

100g mix of cashews and almonds, finely ground

2 heaped tbsp flour

½ tsp salt

5 eggs

140g caster sugar

Filling

6 - 8 fresh strawberries

1 pack Philadelphia cheese

4 tbsp strawberry jam

Glaze and topping

220g dark chocolate , 60% cocoa solids, chopped

160ml cream

12 - 16 fresh strawberries, halved or quartered

icing sugar for dusting

Method:

 Heat oven to 160C. Line the bases of two plumcake tins with baking parchment, butter the walls. Melt the chocolate and butter, leave to cool. Stir in the rose water and coffee powder.

 In a bowl mix the ground nuts with flour and salt. Whisk the eggs and sugar with an electric stand mixer until pale and doubled in volume. Fold in the cooled chocolate mixture until just combined. Sprinkle over half the flour mixture and fold in, then the other half. The mixture will be rather runny.

 Divide between the two tins and bake for about 25 - 30 mins until a skewer comes out with a few crumbs attached - the sponges should be slightly undercooked. Cool in tin, then turn out onto a wire rack. Before assembling the cake the sponges, should be completely cold.

 Choose the less perfect of the two, then set it on a serving plate. Cube the strawberries and stir in the cheese. Spread on the base, then top with the jam and with the other cake.

 For the glaze, bring the cream to the boil, pour it over the chocolate and whisk until smooth. Leave for a few mins until starting to thicken, then spread over the top and sides to cover. Decorate with strawberries. Chill for up to 24 hrs. Remove from fridge 1 hr before serving.