This family favourite flourless chocolate cake becomes just a little more fancy when topped with creamy mascarpone and dusted with cacoa. It’s chocolatey, moist and light – a perfect dessert for Sunday family dinner … or any time really 🙂
What you need
- 200g dark chocolate – roughly chopped
- 120g unsalted butter – chopped
- 120g brown sugar
- 100g hazelnut meal
- 5 large eggs – separated
- 200g mascarpone
- 1 tablespoon icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean extract
- 2 tablespoons sifted cocoa powder
What to do
Preheat oven to 180oC.
Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm spring form cake tin.
Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over pan of simmering water – make sure the base of the bowl is not touching the water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter have melted – then remove from the heat and set a side to cool slightly.
In a dry clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until firm peaks form – set aside.
Add the sugar and almond meal mixture to the melted chocolate and stir until there are no lumps. Add the egg yolks one at a time and stir well until combined. Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
Carefully pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 35 – 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely in the tin.
To make the topping, place mascarpone in a bowl and whisk (by hand or electric beater) until light and smooth. Add the sugar and vanilla and whisk until mixed through. If it becomes too thick, add a small amount of milk to loosen it.
To serve, remove from the tin and place on a platter. Heap the mascarpone in the centre and dust will sifted cacao.
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