Ingredients
225g/8oz good plain chocolate
150g/5oz softened butter
115g/4oz caster sugar
8 eggs, separated
115g/4oz plain flour, sifted

Glaze and Icing
225g/8oz apricot jam
1 tbsp lemon juice
225g/8oz good plain chocolate
200g/7oz caster sugar
1 tbsp golden syrup
250ml/8fl oz double cream
1 tsp vanilla essence

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180 deg C/350deg F/Gas mark 4.

2. Grease a 23cm/9in cake tin and line the base with greaseproof or other non-stick paper.

3. Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt it either over simmering water or in the microwave (see techniques).

4. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one by one, and beat well with each addition.

5. Beat in the melted chocolate.

6. Fold in the sifted flour.

7. Whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.

8. Fold about a quarter of the egg whites into the cake mixture then fold in the remainder.

9. Put the mixture in the cake tin and level off. Bake for about 50 to 55 minutes. When done, let them rest in their tins for 5 minutes before turning onto wire racks to cool.

10. To make the glaze, heat the apricot jam and lemon juice until liquid, then strain through a sieve.

11. When completely cold, slice the cake through the middle to make two layers. Glaze the top and sides of each with the apricot and lemon mixture then sandwich them together.

12.To make the icing, heat the chocolate, broken into small pieces, sugar, golden syrup, cream and vanilla in a saucepan. Keep on a low heat and stir continuously until the ingredients form a thick, smooth mixture. Simmer gently without stirring until it reaches a temperature of 95 deg C or 200 deg F, using a sugar thermometer. Pour the mixture over the cake so that it completely covers the sides and top. Leave it to set. You can decorate it with chocolate curls or leaves if you want.

Copyright © 2001 by Katherine Charles