New Year’s Dessert: Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

For the cake

• 300g/10½oz plain chocolate, broken into pieces
• 225g/8oz caster sugar
• 175ml/6fl oz boiling water
• 225g/8oz salted butter, cut into cubes, plus extra for greasing
• 6 free-range eggs, separated
• 1 tsp instant coffee powder
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

For the topping

• 200ml/7fl oz crème fraîche
• 255g/9oz summer berries
• 1 tbsp plain chocolate, grated
• Icing sugar, to dust

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. For the cake, grease and line the base of a 23cm/9in springform tin with baking parchment.
3. Blend the chocolate and sugar in a food processor until a fine powder forms. Add the boiling water, butter, egg yolks, coffee powder and vanilla extract and blend until well combined.
4. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed, then, using a metal spoon, gently fold into the chocolate mixture.
5. 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.
6. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the tin, then transfer to the fridge for 2-3 hours.
7. To serve, remove the cake from the tin and place on a serving plate or cake stand, spread the crème fraîche on top, then scatter over the berries. To decorate, grate some chocolate over the top, or dust with icing sugar.