chestnut and chocolate truffle cake
rating:This is a really wonderful soft and gooey chocolate cake, which can be served warm or cold as a pudding. It makes a great alternative for anyone who’s not so keen on traditional Christmas pudding – and it’s also an absolute doddle to make.
250g dark chocolate
250g unsalted butter
250g peeled cooked chestnuts (tinned if you like)
250ml milk
4 eggs, separated
125g caster sugar
Melt the chocolate and butter together in a pan over a very gentle heat. In another pan, heat the chestnuts with the milk until just boiling, then mash thoroughly with a potato masher (or process to a rough purée in a machine).
Put the egg yolks in a bowl and mix with the caster sugar. Stir in the chocolate mixture and the chestnut purée until you have a smooth, blended batter. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold them carefully into the batter.
Transfer the mixture to a greased, lined 23cm cake tin (the springform type is good) and bake at 170°C/Gas Mark 3 for 25–30 minutes, until it is just set but still has a slight wobble.
If you want to serve the cake warm, leave to cool a little, then release the tin and slice carefully – it will be very soft and moussey. Or leave to go cold, when it will have set firm. I like to serve it with a trickle of double cream, especially when warm, but it is also delicious unadulterated.
