How to make it
Here is how you make the ultimate chocolate cake.
Ingridients
200g good quality dark chocolate, about 60% cocoa solids
200g of butter, cut in pieces
1tbsp of coffee granuals
85g of self-raising flour
85g of plain flour
1/4tsp of bicarbonate of soda
200g golden caster sugar
25g cocoa powder
3 mediem eggs
75ml butter milk95 tbsp0
grated chocolate or curls to decorate
Method
1.Butter a 20cm round cake tin(7.5cm deep and line the base. Preheat the oven to fan 140C/conventional 160C/ gas 3. Break the chocolate in pieces into medium, heavy-based pan. Tip in the butter, then mix the coffee granuals into 125ml/4ft oz cold water and pour into the pan. Warm through over a low heat just untill everthing is melted-dont over heat. Or melt in the microwave on medium for about 5 minutes, stiring half way through.
2.While the chocolate is melting, mix the two flours, bicarbonate of soda, sugars and cocoa in a big bowl, mixing with you hands to get rid of any lumps. Beat the eggs in a bowl and stir in the buttermilk.
3.Now pour the melted chocolate mixture and the egg mixture into the the flour mixture, stirring just untill everything is well blended and you have a smooth quite runny consistency. Pour this into the tin and bake for 1 hour 25-1 hour 30 minutes-if you push a skwewer in the centre it should come out clean and the top should feel firm(dont worry if it cracks a bit). Leave to cool in the tin( dont worry if it dips slightly), then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completly.
4.When the cake is cold cut horizontly into three . Make the ganache:chop the chocolate into small pieces and tip into a bowl. Pour the cream into a pan , add the sugar and heat untill it is about to boil. Take off the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Stir untill the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
5.Sandwich the layers together with just a little of the ganache. Pour the rest over the cake letting it run down the sides and smoothing it over with a pallette knife. Decorate with grated chocolate or loads of chocolate curls. The cake keeps moist and gooey for about 3-4 days.
