Chocolate caramel flan

This clever dessert starts with caramel, then a simple chocolate sponge batter and finally a crème caramel mixture. Magical!

SERVES 10–12 PREP 40min COOK 1hr, plus cooling

FOR THE BASE

• 125g salted caramel

FOR THE CAKE

• 150g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra melted butter for greasing the tin

• 200g plain flour, sifted, plus extra for flouring the tin

• 190g soft brown sugar

• 1 medium egg, beaten

• 1tbsp vanilla-bean extract

• 30g cocoa powder

• 1tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 1tsp baking powder

• 3tbsp coffee granules

• 230ml whole milk

FOR THE CRÈME CARAMEL

• 600ml evaporated milk

• 1 x 397g tin of condensed milk

• 4 medium eggs

• 1tsp vanilla-bean paste

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Grease and lightly flour the inside of a 23cm bundt tin. Find a roasting tin big enough to hold the bundt tin comfortably and deep enough for water to come two-thirds of the way up the side of the bundt tin. Pop a tea towel into the base of the roasting tin.

2 Put the salted caramel in a microwaveable dish and warm for just long enough to make it runny; about 20sec. Pour into the base of the tin, avoiding drips on the sides. Tap on the worktop to level off.

3 Make the cake by whisking the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until you have a really light and fluffy mixture. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix in.

4 To a separate bowl, add the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder and mix really well.

5 Now, spoon the coffee into a small bowl, add a few tbsp of the milk and heat for a few seconds in the microwave until the coffee has dissolved. Mix, pour into the remaining milk and stir through.

6 Sift a third of the flour mixture onto the butter, sugar and egg mixture and fold in with a large metal spoon. Fold in a third of the milk, then repeat until all the flour and milk has been mixed in.

7 When you have a smooth batter, spoon over the salted caramel, tap the tin on the worktop to remove any bubbles and make sure you have a level top. Put the bundt tin into the centre of the roasting tin.

8 Make the crème caramel mixture by mixing the evaporated milk, condensed milk, eggs, vanilla and a pinch of salt in a food processor until smooth. Pour on top of the cake batter and level the top.

9 Have a jug of hot water ready. Put the roasting tin with the bundt tin into the oven. Before you close the door, pour the water straight onto the tea towel in the roasting tin, making sure the water reaches at least two-thirds of the way up. Bake for 1hr and don’t open the oven. Once cooked, take out and leave to cool in the tin for another hour, then flip over onto a serving dish and it is ready to eat. Keeps in the fridge for 2 days.

• Extracted from Nadiya Bakes (Michael Joseph, £22) by Nadiya Hussain. Watch Nadiya Bakes on BBC Two this month or catch up on BBC iplayer