CHOCOLATE CAKE
300g Dark Chocolate, chopped
100g Unsalted Butter, chopped
1/4 Cup Brandy
200g Castor Sugar
30g Plain Flour
1 Tbs Good Quality Dutch Cocoa
5 Eggs, seperated
Icing Sugar, to dust
TOFFEE STRAWBERRIES
100g Castor Sugar
3 Punnets Strawberries
1 Vanilla Bean, Seeds Scraped
Preheat the oven to 170c
Grease and line a 26cm springform cake tin
Melt the chocolate in a bowl over simmering water (dont let the water touch the bowl)
Melt the butter, brandy and 100g of the castor sugar in another bowl over simmering hot water until the sugar has dissolved then combine with the melted chocolate
Sift flour and cocoa and set aside in a small bowl
Whisk the yolks and 1/4 cup of water in a bowl over simmering hot waterfor 10 mins or until pale and thick and ribbons are formed on whisk, then remove from heat and continue to mix until mixture is cool.
In a seperate bowl beat eggwhites until soft peaks form and add the 100g remaining castor sugar and continue to beat into a stiff and glossy meringue.
Add chocolate mixture to whisked yolks , fold through a third of the sifted cocoa and mix gently repeat until all cocoa is incorporated. Add a little of the meringue to lighten the mixture, then gently fold in the remaining meringue.
place mix into prepared tin and bake for 40-45 minuites or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
For the strawberry's, place sugar and 3 tablespoons of water in a heavy based pan and cook over a medium heat for about 8 minuites until a toffee is made add berries, and vanilla pods and seeds and cook for about 5 minuites until berries are very soft.
Place strawberries on top of cake and pour sauce ontop
dust with icing sugar to serve!
enjoy
