Ingredients
200g quality dark chocolate, broken into pieces
1 tablespoon instant coffee, dissolved in 1 tablespoon of boiling water
1 tablespoon whiskey
2/3 cup caster sugar
150g butter, chopped
1 cup hazelnut meal
5 eggs, separated
Chocolate Ganache
250g chopped dark chocolate
3/4 cup thickened cream
To Decorate
8-12 pesticide-free red roses
Method
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Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan forced). Line base and sides of a 21cm heart shape pan with baking paper. Place chocolate, coffee mix, whiskey, sugar and butter into a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
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Using electric beaters, beat egg yolks, 1 at a time into the chocolate mixture. Add hazelnut meal and beat until well combined, set aside. In a separate bowl, using clean electric beaters, beat eggs whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
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Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30-35 min or until cooked when a tested with a skewer. Cool in pan for 5-10 min, cool completely on a wire rack.
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Prepare the Chocolate Ganache. Place chopped dark chocolate and thickened cream into a small heavy based saucepan and stir over a low heat until melted and smooth. Pour into a glass bowl and chill until ganache reaches a spreading consistency, about 20-30 min.
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Transfer cake to serving plate or stand. Spread Chocolate Ganache over top and sides of cake to cover. Allow ganache to set.
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Is you can't find pesticide free roses, use some silk or artificial roses from a craft store to cover the top of the cake.
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Once the cake is fully decorated. Cover and chill until required. Serve wedges with cream if desired. Freeze leftovers.