choc-fudge-cake.txt

**Chocolate Fudge Cake**
This is a simple cake to prepare, and a most delectable one, made a bit more complicated by baking in two stages. The result is two chocolate layers with slightly different consistencies: one a bit firmer and cakey, the other more moussy. Chocolate connoisseurs will appreciate that. For a less discerning audience, or if you want to hasten the process or are feeling lazy, cook the whole cake at once. The result will still be highly satisfying.

**INGREDIENTS**
240	g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
265	g dark chocolate (52%), cut into small pieces
95	g dark chocolate (70%), cut into small pieces
290	g light muscovado sugar
4	tbsp water
5	large free-range eggs, separated
a pinch of salt
cocoa powder for dusting

**INSTRUCTIONS**
1.	Break the chocolate into very small pieces (I used confectioners chocolate chips from my local cake shop which helped immensely.
2.	Separate 5 eggs.
3.	Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt into meringue (this is pretty labour intensive if you don’t have a stand up mixer).
4.	Put the chocolate pieces and the butter (cubed into small pieces as well) into a very large heatproof bowl (this is the bowl the whole cake mix will be put together in).
5.	Heat the sugar and water until the sugar is melted and incorporated, and then bring to the boil to form a syrup.
6.	Pour the boiling syrup over the chocolate and butter, and stir until the whole thing melts into a chocolate sauce (even with my small chocolate chips, I had a few pieces of chocolate floating around, but these melted into the cake when it baked).
7.	Leave for a minute to cool, then stir in the egg yolks one by one.
8.	Leave to cool for 10 minutes, until it is room temperature, then fold in the meringue, one quarter or so at a time until the whole thing is well incorporated (you may see flecks of meringue, this is apparently ok, although I didn’t personally).
9.	Pour two thirds into a lined, greased 20 inch spring form tin (or a tin which can hold equivalent volume) and bake for 40 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
10.	Pour the remaining batter on top and bake for another 20 or so minutes.
11.	This layer should still be gooey, but not liquid if the tin is moved, and a skewer put in the middle will meet a bit of resistance, but still come out with crumbs and a bit of batter.
12.	Leave to cool completely before removing from the tin.
13.	Decorate as you see fit