THE SPONGE
175 g Waitrose Plain Continental
-Chocolate; (6oz)
90 ml Tia Maria; (6tbsp)
175 g Olivio spread; (6oz)
175 g Caster sugar; (6oz)
6 Eggs; (medium), separated
75 g Waitrose Self Raising Flour;
-sifted (2 3/4oz)
75 g Ground almonds; (2 3/4oz)
-THE GANACHE-
225 g Waitrose Continental Plain
-Chocolate; (8oz)
250 ml Double cream; (9fl oz)
2 Egg yolks; (medium)
25 g Caster sugar; (1oz)
45 ml Tia Maria; (3tbsp)
THE WHITE ICING
67 g Icing sugar; (1 1/2lb)
25 g Butter; melted (1oz)
75 ml Milk; (5tbsp)
1 200 g pack Waitrose White
-Chocolate
-OPTIONAL HOLLY LEAVES-
50 g Waitrose Plain Continental
-Chocolate; (2oz)
50 g Waitrose White Chocolate;
-(2oz)
Grease and line a 23cm (9″) deep, loose-bottomed cake tin with greaseproof
paper.
Melt the chocolate with the Tia Maria in a bowl over a saucepan of
simmering water.
Cream the Olivio with the sugar until light and fluffy, then gradually beat
in the egg yolks. Cool the melted chocolate slightly and beat into the egg
mixture.
Fold in the flour and almonds. Whisk the egg whites and fold into the
sponge mixture with a metal spoon.
Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake in a preheated oven at
180?C, 350?F, gas mark 4, for 40-45 minutes. (To make sure the cake is
cooked insert a small knife or metal skewer into the centre of the cake ?
if it comes out clean it is cooked). Leave the cake to cool before removing
from the tin.
To make the ganache, melt the chocolate with half of the cream in a small
bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk together the egg yolks and
sugar and add to the chocolate mixture. Add the remaining cream, and allow
to cool.
Cut the cake carefully into 3 even horizontal slices. Brush one side of
each slice with 15ml (1tbsp) Tia Maria and spread with the ganache.
Layer together.
To make the white icing, mix together all the ingredients, except the
chocolate, until smooth and spreadable, adding a little more milk if it is
too thick. Spread over the top and sides of the cake, making sure it is
completely covered.
Coarsely grate the chocolate and place in the freezer for a few minutes to
firm up. Coat the cake with the grated chocolate.
To make the holly leaf decorations, line a baking tray with waxed paper.
Melt the plain and white chocolate separately and pour into two piping
bags. Pipe the plain chocolate onto the waxed paper to make the outlines of
sixteen holly leaves and leave to set. Fill in the shapes with the white
chocolate and, while it is still runny, pipe on more of the plain chocolate
to create the veins of the leaves. Leave to set and then decorate the cake.
Yields
10 servings