Chocolate, chestnut and sherry cake
I love this recipe for chocolate cake, in which the beautiful earthy taste of chestnuts - both honeyed and mealy - combines with dark chocolate and Spanish sherry to make a decadent treat.
Ingredients
150g dark cooking chocolate
75g unsalted butter
125ml Pedro Ximenez fino sherry, or if unavailable use a dry sherry
6 medium eggs, separated
150g castor sugar
½ cup chestnut puree*
70g hazelnuts, toasted, skinned (rub off with a cloth) and coarsely chopped
50g self-raising flour, sifted
55g cocoa powder
* Chestnut puree is sold in jars or tins, either sweetened or plain (either is fine for this recipe), and can be found in good delis, some supermarkets or specialist shops.
Method
Preheat oven to 180C (170C if you have a fan-forced oven). Grease a 24cm spring-form tin with butter, then line with baking paper.
Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pot of simmering water. Add the sherry and gently stir until combined. Leave to cool.
Whisk egg yolks with sugar until light and fluffy. Add the chocolate mixture, the chestnut puree and hazelnuts. Stir until well combined.
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form and carefully fold into the chocolate with the sifted flour and cocoa powder.
Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 50-60 minutes. Test by inserting a skewer in the centre - if it comes out clean, it's ready. Cool in the tin before turning out.
To serve
Serve with whipped cream.
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Brigitte Hafner is a chef, restaurateur and recipe writer.From our partners
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