Kirsten’s Easter flourless chocolate cake

It’s going to be a very different Easter this weekend. We might not be able to go far but we can entertain ourselves by baking!

The UK’s shortage of flour had completely passed us by (there’s certainly no Mary Berry’s in the marketing team…) so what lovely treat could we conjure up to put a smile on our faces?

Well it has to be a cake, and it has to be chocolate. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

For the cake

• 300g/10½oz dark chocolate, grated

• 225g/8oz caster sugar

• 175ml/6fl oz boiling water

• 225g/8oz salted butter, cut into cubes, plus extra for greasing

• 6 free-range eggs (separate the yolks from the whites)

• 1 tsp instant coffee powder (or make from granules with tiny amount of hot water)

• 2 tsp vanilla extract/essence
  For the topping:

• 200ml/7fl oz double cream

• Packet of chocolate mini eggs

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Grease and line the base of a 23cm/9in springform tin with baking paper.
Mix the chocolate and sugar together. Add the boiling water, butter, egg yolks, coffee powder and vanilla essence and blend until well combined. (Mine was a bit lumpy so I sieved it).
In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed then 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 let it cool in the tin. The middle will sink - this is normal but it makes a great holder for the cream and mini eggs!
Put it in the fridge (still in tin) for 2-3 hours (don’t be tempted!!)
Whip the double cream until thick when you’re ready to serve.
Remove the cake from the tin and place on a serving plate or cake stand, spread the cream on top, then scatter over the mini eggs.
Do not eat all at once…
Top tip - don’t take it out of the tin before it cools - witness what happens if you do… Didn’t spoil the taste though!