Ultimate CHOCOLATE

Decadent, delicious and just what we all need right now – these recipes from our Test Kitchen will meet those chocolate cravings

- ROSIE BENSBERG

CHOCOLATE FOREST GATEAU

An elegant and indulgent twist on the ever-popular 70s classic.

TIP Use a bread knife to neatly cut the cake into three

PER SERVING 662 cals, 46g fat, 29g sat fat, 43g carbs

SERVES 12

• 150g (5oz) butter

•150g (5oz) light muscovado sugar

•150g (5oz) plain flour

• 45g (1½oz) cocoa powder

• 2tsp baking powder

•½tsp bicarbonate of soda

•2 eggs

•150ml (5fl oz) soured cream

• 2tbsp golden syrup For the ganache:

•225g (8oz) plain chocolate, broken into chunks

• 100g (3½oz) butter

•150ml (5fl oz) double cream

For the filling:

•300ml (10fl oz) double cream

•45g (1½oz) icing sugar

• 200g (7oz) blackberries

•3tbsp black raspberry liqueur To decorate:

•Bronze crunch • Chocolate curls You will need:

•20cm (8in) cake tin, greased and lined with baking parchment

1 Heat the oven to 180C/ Gas 4. Cream the butter and sugar together, then sift in the dry ingredients. Next, whisk in the eggs, soured cream and golden syrup. Pour into the cake tin and bake for 45-50 mins. Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Cut the cake into 3 even layers.

2 For the ganache, melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl, set over a pan of barely simmering water, then beat in the cream. Set aside to cool before using.