- 2 oz/50 g dark raisins
- 2 fl oz/50 ml Scotch whisky, bourbon or coffee
- 5 oz/150 g self-raising flour
- A pinch of salt
- 6 oz/175 g almonds, ground
- 7 oz/200 g cooking chocolate
- 2 oz/50 g butter, unsalted and softened
- 3 eggs, separated
- 12 oz/350 g granulated sugar
For the Icing:
- 3 oz/75 g dark chocolate
- 3 oz/75 g caster sugar
- 3 oz/75 g butter, unsalted
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METHOD
Cut a round of waxed paper or baking parchment to fit the base of a 9 inch/23cm cake tin. Butter the sides, or use a springform pan. Put the raisins in the Scotch, bourbon or coffee and soak for 15 minutes. Mix the flour, salt and almonds in a bowl and set aside. Melt the chocolate in 3 tbs of water, in a separate bowl set over a small pan of hot water. When melted, stir in the butter until the mixture is very smooth. Very thoroughly beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, with the sugar until the mixture is pale yellow. Transfer the melted chocolate to the bowl and stir in. Add the flour mixture, the soaked raisins and their liquid to the bowl, stirring constantly.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft shiny peaks. Stir in one-third of the egg white into the chocolate mixture, Then fold the now lightened chocolate mixture into the remaining egg whites. Pour the batter into the prepared tin.
Bake the gateau in an oven preheated to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5 until the top cracks. The cake will appear wet and perhaps not completely cooked. It should have begun to retract into the pan sides and its surface should have cracked or begun to pull away from the sides. Place the cake tin on a cooling rack and let cool for 30 minutes before running a knife around the edge and removing it from the tin. Remove the waxed paper base. To make the icing, melt the chocolate, as before, and blend in the caster sugar and butter until smooth and shiny, then spread evenly and generously over the top.
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