Ballymaloe chocolate almond gateau with crystallised violets
SERVES
6
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
19
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
25
MINUTES
CUISINE
COURSE
Baking
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.
Grease two x 18cm sandwich tins, dust lightly with flour and line the base of each with parchment paper.
Melt the chocolate with the rum on a very gentle heat. Peel the almonds by placing them in a saucepan of boiling water until the skins lift. Strain, cool, peel and allow to dry. Grind in a food processor - they should still be slightly gritty.
Cream the butter, and then add the caster sugar, beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks. Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Add 1 tablespoon of caster sugar and continue to whisk until they reach the stiff peak stage. Add the melted chocolate to the butter and sugar mixture and then add the almonds. Stir in a quarter of the egg white mixture followed by a quarter of the sieved flour. Fold in the remaining eggs and flour alternatively until they have all been added.
Divide between the two prepared tins and make a hollow in the centre of each cake.
IMPORTANT: Cook in the preheated oven, depending on the oven, it can take between 19 and 25 minutes. The sides of the cake should be cooked but slightly underdone in the centre.
Ingredients
110g best quality dark chocolate (62%) (We use Lesmé or Valrhona chocolate)
2 tbsp Red Jamaica Rum
50g whole almonds
110g butter
100g caster sugar
3 eggs, preferably free range
1 tbsp caster sugar
50g plain white flour
For the chocolate icing
175g best quality dark chocolate (52%)
3 tbsp Red Jamaica Rum
175g butter
crystallized violets or toasted almonds or praline
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.
Grease two x 18cm sandwich tins, dust lightly with flour and line the base of each with parchment paper.
Melt the chocolate with the rum on a very gentle heat. Peel the almonds by placing them in a saucepan of boiling water until the skins lift. Strain, cool, peel and allow to dry. Grind in a food processor - they should still be slightly gritty.
Cream the butter, and then add the caster sugar, beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks. Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Add 1 tablespoon of caster sugar and continue to whisk until they reach the stiff peak stage. Add the melted chocolate to the butter and sugar mixture and then add the almonds. Stir in a quarter of the egg white mixture followed by a quarter of the sieved flour. Fold in the remaining eggs and flour alternatively until they have all been added.
Divide between the two prepared tins and make a hollow in the centre of each cake.
IMPORTANT: Cook in the preheated oven, depending on the oven, it can take between 19 and 25 minutes. The sides of the cake should be cooked but slightly underdone in the centre.
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