We were invited for an Easter brunch that turned into an Easter lunch because we had some trouble getting up in the morning. And I decided to bake a cake.
To be specific, it is called an Easter Egg Nest Cake from a recipe by Nigella.
Clearly I did not have all the right ingredients... well, actually I just missed one ingredient and that was the sugar coated Easter eggs. I figured I can improvise with some chocolate Easter eggs that we had in the house.
Did I mention that this recipe does not actually contain any flour?
It was quite a mission whisking all the eggs but in the end it was well worth the effort. This cake is simply delicious, with or without Easter eggs!
Here is a link to the original recipe from Nigella's book called Feast.
Here is a copy:
For the cake
250 gram(s) dark chocolate chopped
125 gram(s) unsalted butter softened
6 medium egg(s) 2 whole 4 separated
175 gram(s) caster sugar 75g for yolk mixture 100g for whites
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
For the topping
125 gram(s) dark chocolate chopped
250 ml double cream
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
1 packet(s) egg(s) (small)
Method
Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180°C.
Line the bottom of a 23cm springform cake tin with baking parchment, or better still, Bake-O-Glide but do not grease the sides of the tine.
Melt the 250g chocolate with the butter in either a double boiler or a microwave and then set aside to cool slightly.
Whisk the 4 egg whites until firm, then gradually add the 100g of sugar and whisk until the whites are holding their shape and peak gleamingly - but not stiff.
Remove this bowl and set aside while you whisk, in another bowl, the 2 whole eggs and 4 yolks with the 75g of sugar and the vanilla extract, and then gently fold in the chocolate mixture. Lighten the mixture with some egg whites - just dollop a large spoonful in and stir briskly - and then fold in the rest of the whisked whites gently, in about three goes.
Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cake is risen and cracked and the centre is no longer wobbly on the surface. Cool the cake in its tin on a wire rack; the middle will sink as it cools and the sides splinter. You want this to look like a cake with a crater in it, so do not panic at the vision of imperfection in front of you. That's one of the reasons this cake is so unstressful to make.
To finish the cake, carefully remove it from the tin and place it on a plate or cake-stand, not worrying if bits fall off here and there. Put them back in a loose fashion.
Melt the chocolate for the topping and leave it to cool a little. Whip the cream until it is firming up and aerated but still soft, and then add the vanilla and fold in the melted chocolate. Fill the crater of the cake with the chocolatey cream, easing it out gently towards the edges of the cake with a rubber spatula, and then arrange the little sugar Easter eggs on top.
To be specific, it is called an Easter Egg Nest Cake from a recipe by Nigella.
Clearly I did not have all the right ingredients... well, actually I just missed one ingredient and that was the sugar coated Easter eggs. I figured I can improvise with some chocolate Easter eggs that we had in the house.
Did I mention that this recipe does not actually contain any flour?
It was quite a mission whisking all the eggs but in the end it was well worth the effort. This cake is simply delicious, with or without Easter eggs!
Here is a link to the original recipe from Nigella's book called Feast.
Here is a copy:
For the cake
250 gram(s) dark chocolate chopped
125 gram(s) unsalted butter softened
6 medium egg(s) 2 whole 4 separated
175 gram(s) caster sugar 75g for yolk mixture 100g for whites
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
For the topping
125 gram(s) dark chocolate chopped
250 ml double cream
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
1 packet(s) egg(s) (small)
Method
Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180°C.
Line the bottom of a 23cm springform cake tin with baking parchment, or better still, Bake-O-Glide but do not grease the sides of the tine.
Melt the 250g chocolate with the butter in either a double boiler or a microwave and then set aside to cool slightly.
Whisk the 4 egg whites until firm, then gradually add the 100g of sugar and whisk until the whites are holding their shape and peak gleamingly - but not stiff.
Remove this bowl and set aside while you whisk, in another bowl, the 2 whole eggs and 4 yolks with the 75g of sugar and the vanilla extract, and then gently fold in the chocolate mixture. Lighten the mixture with some egg whites - just dollop a large spoonful in and stir briskly - and then fold in the rest of the whisked whites gently, in about three goes.
Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cake is risen and cracked and the centre is no longer wobbly on the surface. Cool the cake in its tin on a wire rack; the middle will sink as it cools and the sides splinter. You want this to look like a cake with a crater in it, so do not panic at the vision of imperfection in front of you. That's one of the reasons this cake is so unstressful to make.
To finish the cake, carefully remove it from the tin and place it on a plate or cake-stand, not worrying if bits fall off here and there. Put them back in a loose fashion.
Melt the chocolate for the topping and leave it to cool a little. Whip the cream until it is firming up and aerated but still soft, and then add the vanilla and fold in the melted chocolate. Fill the crater of the cake with the chocolatey cream, easing it out gently towards the edges of the cake with a rubber spatula, and then arrange the little sugar Easter eggs on top.
Oh jammie, wat ziet dat er overheerlijk uit!! Zou bijna een hap uit de pc nemen ;-)
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