Sweet Food

Vanilla Ice Cream

4 egg yolks
250 ml [1 cup] milk
250 ml [1 cup] double cream (heavy cream)
100 gm [1/2 cup] golden caster sugar (superfine sugar)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Combine the egg yolks with the sugar in a bowl, set aside.
2. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, bring to boil the milk slowly. Once bubbles start to appear along the edges, pour about 1/4 cup of the hot milk in the egg mixture while stirring.
3. Then pour the mixture slowly back in the saucepan with the rest of the milk while *constantly* stirring. Cook on low heat until it thickens (a film of the sauce will form at the back of the spoon). *Do not let it boil* or it will curdle. Remove from heat and cool completely. (This is the custard base that you can use with any flavouring you like for ice creams.)
4. Once cool, fold in the cream and vanilla. Churn in your ice cream maker following manufacturer's instructions.

Fudgy Pudgy Cake - from the most recent issue of Taste of Home
12-14 servings

1 hour 30 min prep

1/2	cup baking cocoa
1	cup hot water
3/4	cup butter, softened
2 3/4	cups packed brown sugar
3	eggs
2 1/2	cups flour
2	teaspoons baking soda
1	teaspoon baking powder
1	cup buttermilk
1 1/2	teaspoons vanilla extract
Filling
1	cup sugar
2	tablespoons cornstarch
1	cup milk
2	teaspoons vanilla extract
1	cup butter, softened
Glaze
1/4	cup butter, softened
2	tablespoons baking cocoa
1/4	cup milk
2	cups confectioners' sugar

1. In a small bowl, combine cocoa and hot water until smooth; cool. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk and cocoa mixture. Stir in vanilla.
2. Pour into three greased and waxed paper lined 9 inch round baking pans. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
3. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Gradually stir in milk until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Cool completely. In a small mixing bowl, cream butter. Gradually beat in cooled mixture. (If you are impatient like I was and don't wait for this to cool completely before beating it with the butter, you'll end up with a pudding/glaze like mixture instead of the whipped mixture. It was still good though!)
   
4. Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with half of the filling. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake.
5. For glaze, in a small saucepan, melt butter; stir in cocoa until smooth. Add milk. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. With an electric mixer, beat in confectioners' sugar until blended. Cool for 15-20 minutes; spread over top of cake. Garnish with chocolate curls if desired. Store in the refrigerator.

Fabulous Fudge Chocolate Cake
Courtesy of Charmaine Brooks and All Recipes

Recipe that follows includes my alterations, to see the original, go here.

2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter
2 c. packed brown sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 (3.5 ounce) bars of Green & Black's bittersweet chocolate, melted
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
1 c. boiling water
1 TBS. instant espresso powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter and 2 cups brown sugar until well mixed. Add eggs one at a time. Beat in the vanilla and melted chocolate. Add 1/2 c. of the sour cream and then 1/2 the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until well blended.

Add the 1/2 c. of heavy whipping cream and remaining dry ingredients to the batter.

Stir in boiling water with espresso powder.

Bake in a 10" springform pan for 45 minutes. (I kept checking every 5 minutes after the original time of 35 minutes.)

*Note: The original recipe called for a caramel icing, but I omitted that as I thought it'd be too sweet.

The buttercream frosting I went with is as follows:

1 c. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 1/2 c. powdered sugar
2/3 c. milk

Beat all ingredients until light and fluffy.

*Note: The taste of this frosting is very buttery, which I like a lot (ya'll), but seriously, consider not frosting this cake as it really doesn't need much more than a sprinkling of powdered sugar - if even that. =)

BANANA NUT CAKE WITH CARAMEL FROSTING

CAKE:
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 small to medium bananas)
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla — (I used vanilla paste)
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract — (I used more vanilla paste)
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
2 cups sifted cake flour — (I used Softasilk)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup soured milk or buttermilk – (I used soured milk; 1/2 cup milk to which 1/2 tablespoon vinegar was added)

CARAMEL FROSTING:
2 cups dark brown sugar, firmly packed
6 tablespoons butter
Dash salt
1/2 cup milk
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla — (I used vanilla paste)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans — (I omitted these)

In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar. Add mashed bananas; beat well with electric mixer 1 minute. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flavorings and chopped walnuts or pecans.

Sift together the sifted cake flour, baking powder, soda and salt; beat into creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed of electric mixer. Pour batter into 2 buttered and floured (or butter and line bottom with waxed paper) 8-inch square cake pans. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool thoroughly on racks.

FROSTING:
In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, salt, and milk; bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; let stand 8 to 10 minutes. Gradually beat in powdered sugar with electric mixer. Continue beating until spreading consistency; add vanilla and blend well. Frost cake and sprinkle with the chopped walnuts or pecans.

RICH AND TENDER YELLOW LAYER CAKE

4 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sifted plain cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, each stick cut into 8 pieces

To quickly bring the eggs and milk to room temperature (65°F), submerge them in a bowl of warm water for about 10 minutes after mixing them together. Adding the butter pieces to the mixing bowl one at a time prevents the dry ingredients from flying up and out of the bowl.

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease two 9-by-1 1/2-inch cake pans with vegetable shortening and cover pan bottoms with rounds of parchment paper or wax paper. Grease parchment rounds, dust cake pans with flour, and tap out excess.

Beat eggs, milk, and vanilla with fork in small bowl; measure out 1 cup of this mixture and set aside. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment; mix on lowest speed to blend, about 30 seconds. With mixer still running at lowest speed, add butter one piece at a time; mix until butter and flour begin to clump together and look sandy and pebbly, with pieces about the size of peas, 30 to 40 seconds after all butter is added. Add reserved 1 cup of egg mixture and mix at lowest speed until incorporated, 5 to 10 seconds. Increase speed to medium-high (setting 6 on KitchenAid) and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add remaining egg mixture (about 1/2 cup) in slow steady stream, about 30 seconds. Stop mixer and thoroughly scrape sides and bottom of bowl. Beat on medium-high until thoroughly combined and batter looks slightly curdled, about 15 seconds longer. (To mix using hand mixer, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. Add butter pieces and cut into the flour mixture with a pastry blender. Add reserved 1 cup of egg mixture; beat with hand mixer at lowest speed until incorporated, 20 to 30 seconds. Increase speed to high, add remaining egg mixture, and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Stop mixer and thoroughly scrape sides and bottom of bowl. Beat at high speed 15 seconds longer.)

Divide batter equally between prepared cake pans; spread to sides of pan and smooth with rubber spatula. Bake until cake tops are light golden and skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. (Cakes may mound slightly but will level when cooled.) Cool on rack 10 minutes. Run a knife around pan perimeter to loosen. Invert cake onto large plate, peel off parchment, and re-invert onto lightly greased rack. Cool completely before icing.

Contributor: Cook’s Illustrated

Yield: two 9-inch cakes

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine
2/3 cup cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake By Nigella Feast

1 1/2 cup plain flour
1 cup caster sugar (superfine)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
3/4 cups unsalted butter - softened
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup sour cream

* Frosting
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp unsalted butter - softened
170 gm dark chocolate (70% cocoa content)
1 Tbsp golden syrup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups icing sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Grease and line 2 x 8-inch/20cm round sandwich pans.
2. In a bowl, sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add in the eggs one at a time, mix well after each addition.
5. Add the sour cream and vanilla, combine well.
6. Stir in the flour mixture with a wooden spoon until well combined.
7. Divide the batter between the 2 prepared cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and cool for about 10 minutes.
9. Loosen and take out from the pans. Cool completely.
10. For the icing: Melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over simmering water. Cool completely.
11. Beat the all the ingredients together until well combined.
12. To assemble: Put one of the cakes on a cake plate.
13. Evenly spread some of the icing on it and then top with the other cake layer.
14. Spread and swirl decoratively the rest of the icing all around the layered cakes.

Apple Streusel Pie

*Crust:
85 gm [1/3 cup] butter - chilled
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp fine salt
2-3 Tbsp cold water

* Filling:
4 cups roughly chopped baking apples (Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Cox, etc.) - cored and peeled first
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
2 Tbsp flour

*Topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup golden granulated sugar
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup coarsely grated cheese
2 Tbsp milk

• Preheat oven to 350F/180C/gas mark 4.


• For the crust:
  1. Put the flour and butter in a bowl.
  2. Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry blender or two butter knives until mixture is into a crumbly state.
  3. Sprinkle enough water and toss until you can gather the dough into a ball. Press, turn and gently knead to just about bring it together until the doughball is smooth and the texture uniform. Caution: do not over knead of it will become inelastic and stiff.
  4. Wrap or put in a plastic bag and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  5. On a clean, floured surface or between greaseproof paper and cling film, roll flat evenly with a rolling pin into a circle shape with a diameter of about 11 inches.
  6. Turn out dough on a 9-inch pie plate. Trim edge until you have about 1 inch overhanging all around.
  7. Tuck the overhang under and flute the sides decoratively with a fork or with fingers.
  8. Prick crust all over with fork.


• For the filling:
  1. Combine all ingredients except the apple in a container and mix well.
  2. Toss the chopped apple in the spice mixture.
  3. Put and arrange into the unbaked pie crust.


• For the topping:
  1. Combine sugar and flour in a bowl.
  2. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or two butter knives until crumbly.
  3. Add in cheese and toss to combine.
  4. Sprinkle milk and mix well.
  5. Spread to cover top of apple mixture.


• Bake in oven for about 55 minutes. If the crust and topping is browning too much, coverly loosely with aluminum foil.


• Remove from oven and cool. Serve warm or cold.

Strawberry - my favourite berry. It's summertime again and the produce section in shops are filled with all kinds of berries which my family would certainly take advantage of. My son likes raspberries, my daughter like cherries and strawberries (like me) and the husband likes everything! Good thing they like most fruits to compensate for not particularly wanting to eat much veggies.

I found this irresistible tart on the cover of last month's BBC Good Food magazine and I thought I just had to make it. Good thing we were invited by good friends of ours for a barbecue so I have a good excuse. I tweaked this recipe of Phil Vickery a little bit to cater to my taste - increasing the sugar in the filling and decreasing the jam (you don't really need that much). My youngest helped me a lot in making this. Actually, she's bragging to our hosts that she made it. ;) And rightfully so. She helped cut in the butter, she rolled the dough and pressed it in the pan, she hulled the strawberries, mixed the fillings, glazed the pastry as well as the strawberries, and sprinkled over the nuts. I say - well done my little one!


Fresh Strawberry Tart

*Crust:
100 gm unsalted butter - chilled and cubed
200 gm plain flour
2 tsp caster sugar (superfine)
1 egg - beaten

*Filling:
250 gm cream cheese
3 Tbsp caster sugar (superfine)
grated zest from 1 small orange
1/4 cup fresh orange juice (from the small orange)
1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint (optional)

500 gm strawberries - hulled and halved
3 Tbsp strawberry jam
1 1/2 Tbsp water
3 Tbsp chopped, shelled pistacios

• Preheat oven to 200C/400F.


• For the pastry crust:
  
  1. Put flour and sugar in a bowl, mix well.
  2. Add the cubed butter and cut it in the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or 2 butter knives until of coarse breadcrumbs consistency.
  3. Add only 3/4 of the beaten egg (reserve the rest for glazing). Toss the mixture, adding a little water if needed, until the dough just about comes together into a ball.
  4. Wrap plastic or cling film and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
  5. Roll out the dough evenly on a floured surface to about 1.5 inches/4 cm larger than a 9-inch/23cm tart pan (preferably with removable bottom).
  6. Put the rolled dough on the tart pan and press it in. Trim excess pastry from the edge.
  7. Prick base well with a fork and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  8. Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper or foil then fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 minutes.
  9. Decrease oven temperature to 160C/325F. Remove the foil with the baking beans and cook for a further 10 minutes.
  10. Take out the oven and brush with the reserved beaten egg (to prevent the crust from getting soggy with the filling). Put back in the oven for about 2-3 minutes.
  11. Remove from oven and cool completely.


• For the filling and assembly:
  
  1. Beat the cream cheese with the sugar, juice, and orange zest. Mix in the chopped mint.
  2. Spread the mixture on the pastry case and arrange the strawberries prettily on top.
  3. Gently heat the strawberry jam and the water while stirring all the time. Sieve the jam (optional) and then brush over the strawberries to give it an attractive gloss.
  4. Sprinkle the chopped pistachios on top. Remove from tart pan and serve.

Fresh Fruit Tart

*For the sweet pastry (pate sucree):
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
100 gm chilled butter

*For the pastry cream (creme patisserie):
1 1/4 cups milk
3 egg yolks
1 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp cornflour
1/4 cup caster sugar (superfine)
1 tsp vanilla [optional]

*Topping:
sliced fresh fruits
3 Tbsp apricot jam
1 Tbsp water

*To make the base:

1. Preheat oven to 200C/400C/gas mark 6.
2. Mix flour and sugar in a bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two butter knives until they resemble coarse breadcrumbs.
3. In another bowl, gently mix egg yolks and vanilla. Add little by little into the flour mixture while tossing and mixing with a fork.
4. Press and squeeze the mixture into a ball (if needed sprinkle a few tablespoon of water). Wrap in plastic film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Take the dough from the fridge and roll out into a 13-14 inch circle. Lay out on a 10-inch tart pan and trim the edges. Prick the base all over with fork.
6. Bake blind for 10 minutes. [To bake blind: cut parchment paper on tart base. Place baking beans or ceramic beans on top.]
7. Remove beans and parchment paper and bake again for about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.

*To make the pastry cream:

1. Boil milk in a saucepan. While waiting for it to froth over, mix egg yolks, flours, sugar, and vanilla in a heatproof bowl.
2. Once the milk boils, pour into the flour mixture in a thin stream while whisking constantly.
3. Transfer back into the saucepan and let simmer until thick while stirring all the time.
4. Remove from heat, put a moistened parchment paper on the surface (to prevent a film/crust from forming on top). Cool completely.

*To assemble:

1. Heat apricot jam and water in a saucepan. Strain and cool.
2. Spread the pastry cream evenly on the tart base. Arrange sliced fresh fruits on top.
3. Brush the apricot jam mixture on the fruits using a pastry brush. Serve.

Egg Pie
(Custard Pie/Tart)

* For the pastry:
125 gm [1/2 cup] unsalted butter - at room temperature
90 gm [1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp] caster sugar (superfine)
250 gm [1 cup + 2/3 cup] plain flour
1 egg - beaten
1-2 Tbsp cold water

* For the filling:
2 1/3 cup milk
4 eggs - separated
100 gm [1/2 cup] caster sugar (superfine)
1 1/2 Tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)

• To make the pastry:
  1. Combine flour and sugar in a bowl.
  2. Cut in the butter with two butter knives or a pastry cutter. Then rub in the butter with your fingers until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
  3. Mix in lightly the egg and knead the dough until it just about comes together. If necessary sprinkle cold water if the dough seems dry.
  4. Knead for a short while and form into a ball.
     Wrap in plastic or cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  5. Roll out thinly on a floured table top to a circle about 12 inches in diameter.
  6. Line a 23 cm (9 inch) pie pan or fluted flan tin making sure to press the pastry well into the sides.
  7. Put the tin on a baking sheet and bake blind: line the pastry with foil and baking beans.
  8. Bake in a preheated oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6 for 15 minutes.
  9. Remove foil and baking beans then return to oven to bake for another 5 minutes.
  10. Trim the excess pastry from the edge of the flan tin with a knife.


• To make the filling:
  1. Turn the oven temperature down to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
  2. In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and egg yolks.
  3. Stir in the milk into the mixture.
  4. Whip the egg white to soft peaks and fold into the milk/egg yolk mixture.
  5. Place the pastry lined flan tin on a baking sheet.
  6. Pour the filling in the tin and bake for 20 minutes until the top is brown.
  7. Bring down oven temperature to 110C/250F and bake for a further 1 hour until the custard is just set. The centre should wobble a little.
  8. Remove from oven and cool completely.

Here is my recipe for scratch chocolate pudding

In order to keep the milk from curdling and keep the egg from cooking before it's integrated into the pudding, you'll have to temper the ingredients. Thats the process where you'll be passing a small amount of a hot liquid into a cold liquid, bringing it to a warmer temperature and then adding it to the hot mixture. You will do a lot of that in this recipe.

2-1/4 cups whole milk

1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place 2 cups of the milk, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and a pinch of salt in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Mix the cornstarch, cocoa, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup cold milk with a whisk until smooth. Pour a little of the hot milk mixture into the bowl whisk it together a little and then pour the whole mixture back into the saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring. Boil 2 minutes, stirring.

In another bowl, beat the egg. Then pour 1 cup of the hot mixture into the egg, whisk it together again and then pour it back into the hot mixture. Cook, stirring, over medium-low heat, for 2 minutes without boiling. Stir in vanilla. Pour the pudding into whatever dishes you like and let them cool. To keep a pudding skin from forming, put cling film directly ontop of the surface of the pudding. (there is nothing worse than taking a big ol bite of pudding skin when you're expecting creamy goodness)

Either the day of or the day before you want to serve this dessert, bake up some devils food cake. I added a few things to the original recipe and trust me, its delicious. Especially the addition of the chocolate chunks.

Devils food cake

1 Cup unsalted butter

2 1/2 Cups sugar

2 Cups boiling water

1 Cup cocoa powder

4 eggs

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

2 3/4 cups flour or cake flour

2 tsps. Baking soda

1/2 tsp. Baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 Cup milk chocolate, chopped into small coarse pieces

In a medium saucepan, Boil the water. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cocoa powder. Continue stirring until the mixture is smooth in appearance. Set it aside to cool

In a separate bowl mix together the dry ingredients.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter sugar, eggs and vanilla. Alternately beat in the dry ingredients and the chocolate mixture. Beat just until blended, do not overmix. Fold in the chocolate chunks.

For my cakes, I used a mini muffin pan. You can use a regular sized muffin pan if you like. Either way, pour the batter by the spoonful into greased muffin cups, about 2/3 of the way full.

Bake at 350 for 7-10 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

The fondant is the best part of this whole dessert, and its the easiest to make.

It has the texture of a thickened frosting, but much sweeter, like the filling of a truffle.

Raspberry Strawberry Cream Cheese Fondant

3 ounces cream cheese
1/4 Cup fresh raspberries

1 Tablespoon strawberry juice

3-4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

In a medium sauce pan heat the cream cheese over low heat until softened. Add the strawberry juice and fresh raspberries. Stir until fully combined and smooth. Remove from heat and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer Whip it up a bit and add the powdered sugar slowly until combined. It should be very thick, not quite to a dough stage, but almost.

Spoon the mixture into ziploc bags and keep in the freezer until use. Thaw for about half an hour before using as frosting.

Here is the recipe as it's found on the foodnetwork website-

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

2 1/2 pounds cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 lemon, zested

1 orange, zested

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

5 eggs

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Butter the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. In a mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar and mix well. Press onto bottom of springform pan and bake until golden, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool. When completely cooled, butter the sides of the pan.

Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, sugar, zests and vanilla and beat until light and creamy. Add the flour, then the eggs and yolks 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the sour cream and mix until smooth. Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake for 12 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees F and bake for 1 hour more. Transfer cake to a cooling rack and let cool completely. Refrigerate cake overnight before serving.

Chocolate Espresso Cake with Caffe Latte Cream

courtesy of Nigella Lawson

For the cake:

5 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (I used Lindt semisweet)
1 stick, plus 3 TBS. butter
6 eggs
1 1/4 c. superfine sugar (I used regular white sugar that I ran through my food processor to make it fine)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
5 tsp. instant espresso powder
1/4 c./4 TBS. Tia Maria or other coffee liqueur (I didn't have any so I omitted it)

For the Caffe Latte Cream:

3 oz. white choclate, broken into small pieces
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
scant 2 tsp. instant espresso powder

Take anything you need out of the fridge to bring to room temperature. The only truly important thing, however, is that the eggs aren't cold, so if they are, just put them into a bowl and cover them with warm water for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350º F. Butter and line a 9 inch springform pan.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave or double boiler and set aside to cool slightly. Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla together until thick, pale and moussey. They should have at least doubled in volume, even tripled. If you're using a standing mixer, as I do, this is effortless.

Gently fold in the flour and espresso powder, taking care not to lose the air you have created, and finally add the melted chocolate and butter, folding gently again. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, by which time the top of the cake should be firm, and the underneath still a bit gooey. Immediately pour over the Tia Maria and then let the cake cool completely on a rack before releasing it from the pan.

For the cream, melt the white chocolate either in a microwave or double boiler, and let it cool. Fold in the cream and espresso powder, whipping the latte cream together to thicken it a little. For some reason the white chocolate seems to make the cream instantly thicker; if I whisk the cream first it can seize a little when it's stirred into the chocolate.

Sit the sprung cake on a plate and fill the middle sunken crate with the caffe latte cream and dust with a little cocoa, or just put the buff-colored cream in a bowl with a spoon, to serve alongside the cake, dusting or not with cocoa or, indeed, instant espresso powder or a mixture of both, as you wish.