Ingredients

The following ingredients have 12 Servings
  • 300g/10½oz dark chocolate, broken into pieces
  • 225g/8oz caster sugar
  • 175ml/6fl oz boiling water
  • 225g/8oz salted butter, cut into cubes, plus extra for greasing
  • 6 free-range eggs, separated
  • 1 tsp instant coffee powder
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 200ml/7fl oz crème fraîche
  • 255g/9oz summer berries
  • 1 tbsp plain chocolate, grated
  • Icing sugar, to dust

Instruction

  • Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
  • For the cake, grease and line the base of a 23cm/9in springform tin with baking parchment.
  • Blend the chocolate and sugar in a food processor until a fine powder forms. Add the boiling water, butter, egg yolks, coffee powder and vanilla extract and blend until well combined.
  • In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed, then, using a metal spoon, gently fold into the chocolate mixture.
  • Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
  • Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the tin, then transfer to the fridge for 2-3 hours.
  • To serve, remove the cake from the tin and place on a serving plate or cake stand, spread the crème fraîche on top, then scatter over the berries. To decorate, grate some chocolate over the top, or dust with icing sugar.