Chocolate Jonathan

An extremely rich chocolate cake. A sort of easy version of a chocolate swiss roll- this is simple to make and certainly impresses.

You will need
a 25 by 35cm (9 by I3in) Swiss roll tin lined with buttered greaseproof paper
a 5OOg (lIb) loaf tin
a cake board for the decoration
50g (1.5 oz) good-quality dark chocolate
icing sugar, to dust

Preheat the oven to 180 C, 350 F, gas 4. Put the egg yolks and three-quarters of the sugar into a basin over a pan of simmering water. Whisk until pale and foamy. Sift the cocoa powder and flour together, and fold into the egg mixture with the coffee. Whisk the egg whites with the remaining sugar and fold into this mixture. Pour into the prepared Swiss roll tin and bake at the top of the oven forabout 10 minutes. Turn the cake out on to a wire rack, remove the paper and leave to cool.

For the filling, put the chocolate and coffee in a basin over hot water, and melt the chocolate. Remove from the heat, cool slightly and mix in the butter. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Fold both egg mixes into the chocolate.

Cut the sponge into pieces and line the bottom and sides of the loaf tin, leaving a piece to fit on top (keep shiny surface of cake to the centre). Pour in the filling and cover with the last slice. Chill.

For the decoration, melt the chocolate, spread it on a board and leave to set. Make chocolate curls by pulling a strong knife across the chocolate at a 45 degree angle. Turn the cake out on to a board, decorate with chocolate curls and dust with icing sugar.