Mexican Chocoflan

A sensational combination of two favourite desserts in one, chocoflan combines a fudgy chocolate cake with a crème caramel flan. The three layers are baked together in the same tin but magically switch places during baking.

CARAMEL

1 cup sugar

½ cup cold water CHOCOLATE CAKE

½ cup cocoa powder

½ cup boiling water

150g butter, softened

1 cup caster sugar

2 large free-range eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1½ cups plain flour

2½ teaspoons baking powder FLAN

250g cream cheese, softened 400g can sweetened condensed milk 340ml can evaporated milk 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 6 free-range egg yolks

Caramel: Put the sugar in a heavy-based pot set over a medium heat. Watch carefully and cook, shaking the pot regularly, until the sugar slowly melts and caramelises to a dark golden brown. Quickly remove the pot from the heat and add the water – take care and stand back, as it will spit and splutter and then the caramel will harden. Return the pot to the heat and cook, stirring until the sugar re-melts and forms a smooth dark caramel sauce. Transfer to a heatproof bowl, to cool.

Heavily spray a deep 24cm bundt tin with oil. Pour the caramel sauce into the base of the tin; place the tin in the fridge to set the caramel (it needs to be hard before topping with the cake batter). Meanwhile, prepare the cake and flan mixtures.

Chocolate cake: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-bake). Combine the cocoa and boiling water in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth then set aside to cool to lukewarm.

Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and the cooled cocoa mixture.

Add the flour and baking powder and use a wooden spoon to mix just until combined. Spread the cake batter on top of the hardened caramel in the cake tin.

Flan: Place the cream cheese, both milks, vanilla and yolks in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth then strain the flan mixture on top of the cake batter.

Cover the cake tin with a large piece of greased foil. Place the cake tin inside a large, deep-sided oven pan. Make a water bath by pouring hot water into the oven pan to come halfway up the sides of the cake tin. Carefully place the pan in the oven and bake for 60-65 minutes.

Remove the cake from water bath and leave to cool in the tin then chill for 2-3 hours or overnight, until ready to serve.

Use a blunt knife to loosen the edges of the cake from the tin then invert it onto a serving plate, making sure to add all the caramel from the tin to the top of the cake.

The cake will keep for up to 5 days stored in the fridge but bring to room temperature to soften before serving. Serves 16