Ingredients
- 3½ oz (100g) unsalted butter
- 12¼ oz (350g) 70% dark chocolate
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 heaped teaspoons instant coffee dissolved in tiny amount of boiling water
- 6 eggs
- 9 oz (250g) white sugar
- 3½ oz (100g) chopped walnuts
- 1 oz (30g) fine-ground walnuts
For the Ganache Frosting
- 7 fl oz (200ml) heavy whipping cream
- 7 oz (200g) dark chocolate
- 8 walnut halves
Method
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (170 degrees F).
- Butter and line an 8-inch (20cm) spring-form cake pan.
- Break the chocolate into pieces then melt it with the butter in the microwave.
- It's best to do this in 30-second bursts, stirring often, but if you prefer you can do it over a pan of simmering water.
- Combine the coffee and cocoa into the chocolate, then stir well.
- Put the eggs and sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high for 5 minutes or until it is thick and creamy.
- Fold the walnuts (chopped and ground) into the batter and then fold in the chocolate mixture.
- Transfer the mixture into a cake pan and bake for 40 minutes.
- The cake is done when it is dry.
- Turn off the oven and leave the door ajar so the cake can cool completely in the pan in the oven.
- Take the cake out of the pan and put it on a wire tray.
- Break the rest of the chocolate into pieces.
- Heat the cream in a glass jug in the microwave or in a small pan until you see tiny bubbles.
- Don't let it boil.
- Stir the cream into it and keep stirring until all the chocolate has melted into the ganache.
- A small balloon whisk and a gentle stirring motion are what you need here.
- Let the mixture cool for half an hour or until cool but still liquid.
- Spread a thin layer of ganache over the cake then chill it for 10 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Spread the rest of the ganache over the cake and smooth it with a palette knife.
- Decorate the cake with the walnut halves.