Dark Chocolate Cake with Cumquats
Preparation time:
10 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4
• 100g butter, chopped
• 150g dark chocolate, chopped
• 2/3 cup caster sugar
• 150g ground almonds
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
• 4 eggs, separated
• 300g cumquats
• 1/2 cups caster sugar
• 1 vanilla bean
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 20cm spring-form pan and line the base with non-stick baking paper. Melt the butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl standing over a pan of simmering water. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla, sugar, almonds, cocoa and egg yolks.
2. Beat the egg whites with electric beaters in a clean bowl until soft peaks form. Use a large metal spoon to gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Mix thoroughly so there are no streaks of white, but take care not to lose the volume in the mixture.
3. Spoon into the prepared tin, and bake for 45 minutes. Cool in the tin, then refrigerate until firm. Run a knife around the edge of the cake, and remove the side. Cut into wedges to serve with the cumquats, and cream or ice-cream.
4. Meanwhile, cut the cumquats in half and remove the seeds. Combine the sugar with 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan and stir over low heat without boiling, until the sugar has dissolved. Halve the vanilla pod lengthways and add to the pan, along with the cumquats. Bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes, until tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cumquats to a bowl. Simmer the syrup for another 5 minutes, until reduced and syrupy. Pour over the cumquats and refrigerate until needed.
Note:
you can dry the vanilla pod and use it again.
