Chocolate torte

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 110°C.

2. Melt the chocolate and the butter in a bain-marie, ensuring not to let the water beneath it come to a boil. The gentler this mixture melts, the better.

3. Meanwhile, roughly divide the sugar into two piles.

4. Using 1/3 of the sugar, in an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until pale and voluminous.

5. Put the remaining 2/3 of sugar into a saucepan with a sprinkle of water. Enough to dampen the sugar. No more than two tablespoons.

6. Bring this slowly to the boil and when you have a clear viscous-looking liquid, remove the pan from the hob.

7. Pour the sugar syrup over the melted chocolate and gently fold the chocolate mixture in among the egg mixture.

8. Pour the finished mixture into a 22cm cake tin that will fit snugly into a roasting tray and top the roasting tray up with boiling water, ensuring not to let the water rise and topple into the tin.

9. Bake uncovered in the oven for one hour and 10 minutes. The torte should have a gentle wobble when removed from the oven.