Three-bean chocolate cake
SERVES 12 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR
½ cup (50g) cacao powder, plus extra to dust (see Test Kitchen tip)
175g unsalted butter, chopped
200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped coarsely
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules 1 tablespoon boiling water
6 eggs, at room temperature
1½ cups (330g) rapadura or raw caster sugar
2 cups (200g) ground hazelnuts (hazelnut meal)
VANILLA BEAN CREAM
1 vanilla bean, split lengthways 2 teaspoons rapadura sugar or raw caster sugar
300ml thickened cream
1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Grease a deep 22cm round springform pan; line base and side with baking paper.
2 Place cacao, butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl over a medium saucepan of simmering water (do not allow base of bowl to touch water). Stir until butter and chocolate melt, and mixture is smooth. Remove bowl from heat; cool for 15 minutes. 3 Meanwhile, combine coffee and boiling water in a small heatproof jug. Beat eggs and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or until thick and creamy.
Stir in coffee mixture. Add egg mixture to chocolate mixture; stir until just combined. Fold in ground hazelnuts. Pour mixture into prepared pan.
4 Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with moist crumbs.
5 VANILLA BEAN CREAM: Scrape seeds from vanilla bean. Using an electric mixer, beat vanilla seeds, sugar and cream in a medium bowl until soft peaks form.
6 Stand cake in pan for 30 minutes. Dust with extra cocoa. Serve with Vanilla Bean Cream. Not suitable to freeze or microwave.