CHOCOLATE, PRUNE AND WALNUT CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Prep time 1 hour 20 mins Cooking time 35 mins, plus chilling, freezing and resting Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

200ml grape juice

100g pitted prunes

240g walnuts, roasted

120g butter, coarsely chopped 180g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), coarsely chopped, plus extra, grated to serve

220g (1 cup) caster sugar

5 eggs, separated CHOCOLATE GANACHE

250g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), coarsely chopped 300ml pouring cream

METHOD

Warm grape juice over low heat, add prunes and set aside to soak for 30 mins, then drain, reserving juice and prunes separately. Preheat oven to 180°C. Process walnuts in a food processor until finely chopped. Heat butter, chocolate and sugar in a saucepan over low heat until smooth, then set aside to cool. Add egg yolks and walnuts, and mix well.

Whisk eggwhites and ½ tsp salt in an electric mixer to soft peaks, 2-3 mins. Fold a third of the eggwhite into chocolate mixture, then add remaining eggwhite and prunes and fold to combine. Spoon into a buttered 23cmdiameter cake tin lined with baking paper and bake until a skewer inserted withdraws clean, 35-40 mins. Cool in tin for 10 mins then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely, 1-2 hours.

For chocolate ganache, stir chocolate, cream and reserved juice in a small saucepan over low heat until chocolate melts, then set aside to cool, 15 mins.

Spread ganache over cooled cake, scatter with grated chocolate and serve. Before icing, the cake will keep in an airtight container for 4-5 days.