Our Chef's Recipes

Chocolate 'Bomb' © foodfeatures.net

Chocolate GÁteau

• 250 gm (8oz) semisweet chocolate, in pieces
• 1 tabs instant coffee dissolved in ½ cup water
• 250 gm (8oz) butter
• 200 gm (6 oz) sugar
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup (375 ml) whipping cream
• 2 tabs icing sugar

Line a 25cm (10 in) cake tin with a double thickness of foil. Preheat the oven to 175C/350F.

In a heavy-bottomed pan melt the chocolate in the coffee over low heat. Add the butter and sugar, a little at a time, stirring after each addition. Heat until hot but do not let it boil.

Take from the heat and beat the eggs into the hot mixture. Strain the mixture into the prepared pan and bake in a water bath in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until a thick crust forms.

Let cool, then cover and keep for 2-3 days so that the flavour can mellow.

To serve, run a knife around the pan and turn it onto a cake plate. Peel off the foil. Whip the cream and sweeten with icing sugar. Pipe rosettes all over the cake.
Alternatively, cover the cake with sifted icing sugar and serve cream separately.
This gâteau freezes well.