CAKE WITH BRANDY RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease the tin with margarine and line the base and sides with baking paper. You need to line the tin right to the top even though the sponge will not fill it.
• For the chocolate cake, measure the cocoa powder into a large bowl. Pour over the boiling water and mix to a paste with a spatula. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and the eggs and margarine and beat until smooth using a hand-held mixer.
• Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared cake tin and level the surface with a palette knife. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean and the cake feels springy to the touch.
• While the cake is still hot, brush the brandy over the top of the cake. Leave the cake to cool in the tin.
• Meanwhile, for the mousse, place the chocolate in a bowl and melt over a pan of gently simmering water (do not allow the base of the bowl to touch the water). Stir continuously, taking care not to let the chocolate get too hot. Set aside to cool a little.
• Whip the cream until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed. Carefully fold in the melted chocolate until smooth and not streaky.
• When the cake has cooled, and while it is still in the tin, spoon the chocolate mousse on top and level with a palette knife. Cover the cake tin with cling film and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, and preferably overnight, until the mousse is firm.
• To serve, carefully remove the cake from the tin and transfer it to a flat plate. Dust the top with cocoa powder, then pile the raspberries and blueberries into the centre. Finish with a light dusting of icing sugar. Cut into wedges and serve with pouring cream.

Steps:

• Put the dried fruit in a small bowl and pour in just enough brandy or juice to cover. Microwave for 2 mins until steaming, then set aside.
• The non-messy way to chop chocolate is to smash it (still wrapped) onto your work surface, then unwrap it down to the foil and snap it (still in foil) into small bits using your fingers. Empty the chocolate into a microwaveable bowl. Add the butter and golden syrup, cover the bowl with cling film and microwave for 2 mins until melted. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, line a 20cm square tin with baking parchment, using a little butter to stick it in place. (You can also use foil but it’s more fiddly to peel off later, or cling film if you don’t mind wrinkles on the underside of your cake.)
• Take a third, large bowl. Use your fingers to break the biscuits into it. Stir in the nuts, soaked fruit and soaking liquid, then mix everything together. Pour the melted chocolate into the bowl with the biscuits, using a spatula or spoon to scrape out every last bit of chocolate. Mix together until everything is coated in chocolate.
• Check the ingredients list to make sure everything is accounted for (it’s surprisingly easy to miss something in this recipe), then tip the chocolate mixture into the tin, pushing well into corners and flattening the top. Put in the fridge (no need to cover) for 4 hrs or overnight until set. To serve, remove from tin, peel away the parchment and cut into 16 squares (any crumbly bits that fall off make tasty samples for the cook). Will keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container in the fridge. Can be frozen for up to 1 month.