Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

This dead easy recipe from Trish Deseine’s book Chocolate has become a household staple.  It’s exactly as the name describes it – gooey, puddingish and rich – and has the added advantage of being gluten-free.  It’s best served with homemade vanilla icecream (recipe to follow) or whipped cream (or, in Big Boy’s case, both).

Here is my version, sized down to fit my 26cm (10″)  pie dish (comfortably serves 4 – 5).

• 150g (5.5 oz)  dark chocolate (I use Callebaut 54% callets)
• 150g (5.5 oz) unsalted butter
• 4 large eggs (59g), separated
• 150g (5.5 oz) sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F) or 160C with fan.

2. Place the butter and chocolate in a large pyrex bowl.  Melt them together in the microwave in short 20 – 30 second bursts on high (or use a double boiler on the stove).  Allow the mixture to cool slightly (so that you don’t scramble the eggs in the next step).

3. Beat the egg yolks and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until the mixture is pale.  Combine this with the butter-chocolate mix.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.  Stir a generous scoop  into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then gently fold the remaining egg whites into the batter.

5. Pour the mixture into a 26cm (10″) pie dish and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the cake is well risen and just past the really wibbly stage.  The cake will collapse as it cools, leaving a slightly raised crust around the edges.  You can serve this warm or cold, simply scooped out with a large spoon.

Here is the gooey cake just out of the oven, all puffed up….

…and after it has sunk slightly on cooling.