BAKE of the week
Sticky, gooey and filled with chocolate, this torte is perfectly indulgent.
The method comes from Lucinda Brucegardyne, founder of gluten-free and digestive wellness food brand, Genius Gluten Free, so it’s also great for friends and family who might have dietary requirements – but still want to enjoy a treat.
You’ll need
● 55g ready-to-eat pitted prunes, roughly chopped
● 50ml brandy or Amaretto
● 3 eggs, separated
● 140g caster sugar
● 200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), roughly chopped
● 110g unsalted butter or dairy-free baking margarine, diced
● 100g ground almonds
● 40g cornflour
● oil, for greasing
Method
1. Soak prunes in brandy for 30 mins.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease a 20 cm springform tin with butter and line with greased greaseproof paper.
3. Beat the egg yolks with the caster sugar on high speed until thick and creamy.
4. Place the chocolate and 2 tbsps water in an ovenproof bowl, sitting on the rim of a small pan of simmering water. Stir the melting chocolate and water together until smooth. Add butter, a few pieces at a time, to form a smooth, shiny liquid.
5. Pour the melted chocolate mix over the whisked egg yolks, and gently fold together using a large metal spoon.
6. Sift the ground almonds and cornflour over the chocolate mix, add soaked prunes and brandy, fold in.
7. In a dry bowl, whisk the egg whites into firm peaks. Stir a large spoonful into the chocolate mix, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites.
8. Pour the mix into the tin, and bake in the centre of the oven for 35–40 mins. Cool in the tin on a wire rack.
9. Run a knife around the edge of the torte, remove the tin and lining paper, and transfer the torte to a serving dish.
10. Serve in narrow slices with double cream or a dollop of crème fraîche.