Ingredients
for spring-form tin, approx. 24 cm in diameter For the sponge 5 eggs (separated) ½ cup sugar ¾ cup flour For the cream 1 ½ cups plain Chocolate (chopped) 5 teaspoons Instant Coffee powder ¼ cup Cherry brandy 1 ½ cups softened butter 1 cup powdered sugar For the caramel glaze1 cup sugar
Preparation steps
1. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C in a fan oven), 400°F, gas 6 and line a spring-form tin with grease-proof paper.
2. Beat the egg yolks with 2 tbsp hot water and 75 g sugar until fluffy. Sieve over the flour and fold in. Whisk the egg whites with the remaining sugar and a pinch of salt until stiff then fold into the mixture. Spread the mixture into the cake tin and bake for around 30 minutes. Remove and leave to cool thoroughly.
3. Using a large knife, slice the cooled cake into 6-8 thin layers.
4. For the cream, melt the chocolate in a bowl over hot, but not boiling, water. Cool to room temperature (the butter and chocolate should be the same temperature).
5. Dissolve the coffee in the cherry brandy. Beat the butter until fluffy. Gradually stir in the chocolate, the sieved icing sugar and the coffee-brandy mixture. Put around 6 tbsp of the cream to one side for garnish (refrigerator).
6. Spread a thin layer of cream over each of the sponge layers and stack into a torte, finishing with a layer without any cream topping. Spread the cream thinly around the edge of the torte.
7. For the caramel glaze, caramelise the sugar in a small casserole dish until golden and immediately pour over the torte. Spread using a lightly oiled knife, then divide the caramel into slices immediately. Leave to cool.
8. Put the reserved cream in a piping bag with a star nozzle and decorate each slice of torte with a rosette of chocolate cream.
