Gingergirl: celebration chocolate cake

Hello and welcome to all about food. This week is all about chocolate! For those of you planning to cook Easter Sunday lunch this year, I highly recommend trying this recipe. If you can’t wait that long, well perhaps it’s a good way to celebrate the brighter evenings, seeing your first daffodil, having a good hair day, having a bad hair day… (basically any excuse you can think of!).

CHOCOLATE AND CARDAMOM CAKE
300g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
150g butter
6 eggs separated
40g golden castor sugar
1 ¼ tsp ground cardamom

* Heat your oven to 180ºc. Butter an 18cm spring form cake tin and dust with cocoa powder – some recipes tell you to line with greaseproof but this works every time for me without it – just be sure to grease the tin well.
* Melt the chopped chocolate and butter in a bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water (you can use a microwave if you wish but be careful as the chocolate can scorch if set too high).
* Beat the eggs yolks, half the sugar and the cardamom until thick and creamy. Add the melted but slightly cooled chocolate to this mixture – the chocolate must be cooled or the eggs will scramble and you’ll have to start all over again!
* Whisk the egg whites and remaining sugar until stiff. Once stiff, carefully fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture until nicely combined – there may be a little marbling but this is fine and will only add to the cake once baked.
* Once mixed, spoon into the prepared tin and bake for 18-20 minutes. Before serving, sieve a generous coating of cocoa powder over the top of the tart.

AND FINALLY
I love to serve this tart with some thick, double cream. I think the sticky sweetness really compliments the very serious chocolatey flavours of the cake. Some raspberries on the side also look pretty and as we all know, raspberries and chocolate are a perfect flavour combination.

Read more: main course inspiration for St Patrick's Day Greek style lamb

Contact Gingergirl
www.gingergirl.ie
email: helen@gingergirl.ie
Gingergirl aka Helen Keown is an artisan food producer who produces a range of handmade luxury jams, preserves and chutneys made from local, seasonal or organic ingredients. Helen’s produce is available nationwide from independent food emporiums and is also available at selected food delis across Europe.
Letters to ‘gingergirl’ c/o The Tipperary Star, Friar Street, Thurles, Co Tipperary.
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