5, 4, 3, 2, 1 – COUNTDOWN TO CELEBRATION

Preparation time 2 hours Cooking time 40 mins Serves 10-15

600g dark chocolate, chopped 550g unsalted butter, chopped,

at room temperature 8 free-range eggs

400g caster sugar

400g almond meal

250g cream cheese, at room

temperature

1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted 600g icing sugar, sifted

11/2 Tbsp glucose syrup

75g white chocolate, melted 2 Tbsp freeze-dried fruit powder

(from online suppliers)

STEP 1 Preheat oven to 170°C fan-forced (190°C conventional). Grease and line three 20cm round cake pans with baking paper.

STEP 2 Combine 400g of the dark chocolate with 400g of the butter in a bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water and stir to melt gently. Remove from heat, cool slightly, then beat in eggs, caster sugar and almond meal. Spoon into prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes, until firm to touch. Cool in tins, then remove and chill until cold. STEP 3 Put half of the remaining butter, cream cheese, cocoa and icing sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer, then beat with paddle attachment on medium speed for 10 minutes, until very light. Spread icing on top of each cake, then stack layers on a serving platter, ice the sides and smooth. Chill.

STEP 4 Put 100g of the remaining dark chocolate, remaining butter and glucose in a small saucepan. Melt gently. Cool to between 33-36°C on a sugar/candy thermometer. Drizzle over cake.

STEP 5 Drizzle white chocolate over a smooth surface. Melt remaining dark chocolate and spread over the top. Cool until almost firm. Scrape gently to make curls. Arrange on cake. Top with freeze-dried fruit powder. Serve.