Rick Stein Sunken Chocolate Cake

I made this last week for my bible study group - it's one of my favourite things to make.

I don't generally eat chocolate cake but this recipe is light and moist.  Never fails!

Rick Stein Sunken Chocolate Cake

225 unsalted butter

225g good-quality plain dark chocolate (I use Cadbury dark cooking choc and it works fine) broken into pieces

50g almond meal

60g plain flour

6 medium eggs at room temperature, separated

50g light brown sugar (I use the normal brown sugar in the cooking section)

175g caster sugar

Icing sugar, to dust (optional)

Thick cream to serve

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Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.

Grease a 23cm spring form cake pan and line with baking paper.

Place butter and chocolate into a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water).

Leave until melted, then stir until smooth.  Set aside to cool slightly.

Sift together almond meal and flour.

Place egg yolks in a large bowl with light brown sugar and whisk until pale and creamy.

Gently fold in the melted chocolate, followed by almond mixture.

Place eggwhites in a large bowl and whisk into soft peaks, whisk in caster sugar a little at a time, to make soft meringue.  (If eggwhites are too stiff, you will find it difficult to fold into rest of cake)

Fold into chocolate mixture with a large metal spoon. (I use a slotted metal spoon to help airate the cake)

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 50 mins or until a skewer inserted into cake still comes out a bit wet (this cake is best when slightly undercooked)

Cool, then carefully remove from pan and pull off paper.  Cut into wedges, dust with icing sugar (if desired) and serve with cream (and strawberries!).