Chocolate cake

Serves 6-8

For the sauce

• 370g bitter plain chocolate
• 3 tbsp dark rum
• 100g espresso
• 0 tbsp warm milk
• 9 eggs
• 200g caster sugar
• 150g double cream
• 70g cocoa powder
• 1 vanilla pod

• 250g milk
• 1 tbsp ground coffee
• 3 egg yolks
• 50g caster sugar

Step 1
Line a standard 23cm springform cake tin with a cartouche of baking or silicone paper.

Step 2
Heat the oven to 130C/250F/gas mark low.

Step 3
Put a roasting tray in the oven and have a kettle with boiled water standing by.

Step 4
Put the chocolate in a large bowl.

Step 5
Sit the bowl over a pan of simmering water.

Step 6
Melt the chocolate gently.

Step 7
Once liquid and smooth, add in the rum and espresso, then the warm milk.

Step 8
If the chocolate remains stiff, add a little more milk until it surrenders and becomes smooth once more.

Step 9
Add the egg yolks to a bowl one at a time.

Step 10
Add the caster sugar and beat the mixture together until pale and voluminous.

Step 11
Split and scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod and add the seeds to the beaten egg yolks and sugar.

Step 12
Beat the egg whites separately until peaked and stiff, then mix in.

Step 13
Add one-third of the chocolate along with a third of the egg mixture, mix and repeat until all is incorporated and smooth.

Step 14
Whip the cream lightly and fold in.

Step 15
Finally, sift in the cocoa powder and fold that in too.

Step 16
Decant the batter into the cake tin.

Step 17
Lightly smooth the surface with a palette knife or spatula.

Step 18
Sit the cake in the roasting tray in the oven.

Step 19
With great care, pour hot water from the kettle into the tray, so the tin sits in a moat of water – a classic bain marie.

Step 20
Bake for 45-50 minutes.

Step 21
If in any doubt about doneness, insert a skewer to see if it is cooked through.

Step 22
With a cloth in each hand, lift the whole tray from the oven and sit upon a wire rack.

Step 23
Let the cake cool in the bain marie, then remove it.

Step 24
Exercising a little patience, take the paper from the sides and cut away.

Step 25
For the sauce, pour the milk into a saucepan.

Step 26
Add the coffee.

Step 27
Warm to a simmer over a gentle heat.

Step 28
Set aside for 30 minutes, or until infused.

Step 29
Combine the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl.

Step 30
Pour the infused milk on top.

Step 31
Return all to the pan.

Step 32
Stir this over a gentle heat until thickened, as for a good old-fashioned custard.

Step 33
Once done, strain through a sieve into a bowl.

Step 34
Put in a jug, cover and refrigerate.