Notes: Simplified version of the original. You can jazz it up by adding fresh strawberries and cream. Don’t skimp out on quality here. The recipe also takes a bit of time and patience. The cake is also very decadent and makes 13-14 pieces.
Equipment
• Blow torch
• 26cm spring form baking tin
• Baking paper
First Layer: Biscuit Base
- 220g butter biscuits
- 90g melted unsalted butter
- 70g condensed milk
- Generous pinch of sea salt
- 2 tsp cacao powder
- 1 drop of vanilla essence
Second Layer: Almond Chocolate Cake
- 200g good quality milk chocolate
- 100g good quality dark chocolate
- 350g caster sugar
- 230g cubed unsalted butter
- 6 free-range eggs
- 200g finely ground almond powder (without skin)
- Pinch of sea salt
Process
1. Blend butter biscuits until it resembles almost like fine flour.
2. Add ground butter biscuits, salt, sugar, melted unsalted butter, and condensed milk in a bowl. Mix
everything well until it resembles wet sand!
3. Using a springform baking tin (26cm), add a small sheet of baking paper to the tray (this will aid in
dislodging the cake entirely from the tin if needed). Then, add biscuit mixture into the baking tray
and neatly flatten it out. Refrigerate in the meantime.
4. Preheat oven to 160 degrees or 320 Fahrenheit.
5. In a bain-marie, melt 200g milk and 100g dark chocolate. Once melted, add 200g almond powder,
stir through, set aside, and cool to room temperature.
6. Beat 230g unsalted butter and 350g caster sugar until light, pale, and fluffy. Then beat in one egg
at a time until a smooth batter forms.
7. Fold through chocolate almond paste through the butter mixture carefully. Fill into the prepared
biscuit base. Gently tap a few times on a flat surface to eliminate any air pockets (creates a better
rise). Bake for 55 minutes, until set and cooked through. Allow cooling completely.
8. Gently trim of cake for a flat and even surface—brush of excess crumbs.
Final Layer: Silky Ganache
- 150g good quality milk chocolate
- 150g good quality dark chocolate
- 400g minimum 35% full fat cream
- 225g icing sugar
- 1 small tonka bean (not necessary)
- 4.8g gelatin leaves
Process
- Soak the gelatin sheets in cold water and set them aside. Once soft, squeeze out any excess water.
- Melt the two chocolates (300g) in a bain-marie.
- Add 400g cream, finely grated tonka bean, and icing sugar to a small saucepan to the boil. Remove off heat and stir in bloomed gelatin sheets. Pour over melted chocolate gently. Stir until everything comes together. Set aside and allow to cool to almost room temperature.
- Pour some ganache over the chocolate cake (still in the tin form) and place it in the freezer for 30 minutes. This will prevent any crumbs or chunks of cake float to the top when you pour the remainder of the ganache.
- Once set, add the remainder of the ganache and place in the fridge for 6-8 hours or until it has fully set.
- Using a blow torch, gently heat the sides of the springform tin to dislodge the cake.
- Using a clean knife, cut neat small slices.
- Serve with whipped cream and strawberries.
- Xx
