How To Make Chocolate And Almond Cake

Step 1: You will need

Preheat the oven to 180ºC or gas mark 4.

Step 2: Melt the chocolate and butter

Bring a saucepan of water, about 1 third full to a gentle simmer.

Then rest a bowl on top, add the chocolate, followed by the butter and leave them to melt.

Mix while melting to make sure the ingredients combine.

When they've melted completely, remove the bowl from the heat.

Step 3: Whisk the eggs

One by one break the eggs into the mixing bowl discarding the shells as you go along.

Then add the sugar followed by the vanilla and whisk together at a high speed for about 3 minutes.

When the egg mix has doubled in volume, stop whisking.

Step 4: Fold the eggs into the chocolate

Pour the egg mixture into the chocolate and mix together thoroughly

then transfer it into a bigger bowl if necessary for the other ingredients to fit.

Step 5: Add the remaining ingredients

First, sift in the flour, then the teaspoon of baking powder

and make sure they're well mixed.

Then add the ground almonds and the sliced almonds and mix thoroughly.

Step 6: Bake

Pour the mixture into the lined baking pan

then place it on the central shelf in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Just before the time is up, insert a wooden skewer into the cake to see if it is ready. If it comes out clean then it is fully baked.

Step 7: Remove the bake

When the cake is ready remove it from the oven and leave it to cool.

Sprinkle a little caster sugar over the top for the finishing touch and serve at room temperature with vanilla ice cream and a sprig of mint.