This is a rich, decadent, dense chocolate cake from the island of Capri.
Equipment and preparation: For this recipe you will need an ice cream machine.
Ingredients
For the ice cream
- 200g/7oz shelled pistachios, ideally Iranian
- 400g/14oz golden caster sugar
- 3 large free-range eggs
- 500ml/18fl oz whole milk
- 300ml/10fl oz double cream
- ½ vanilla pod, split
For the cake
- 200g/7oz dark chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa solids, cut into pieces
- 200g/7oz unsalted butter, softened, cut into small pieces
- 200g/7oz golden caster sugar
- 5 free-range eggs, separated
- 200g/7oz ground almonds
Method
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For the ice cream, put the pistachios, sugar, eggs and milk in a food processor. Whizz until the nuts are broken into small pieces. Tip the mixture into a saucepan, drop in the vanilla pod and cook over a low heat until thick. Leave to cool. Gently stir in the cream, then pick out the vanilla pod. Transfer to an ice cream machine to churn until frozen.
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For the cake, preheat the oven to 180C/160 Fan/Gas 4. Grease a 23cm/9in loose-bottomed round cake tin and line with greaseproof paper.
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Put the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
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Put the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat until light and creamy. Whisk in the egg yolks. Mix in the almonds, then lightly fold in the melted chocolate.
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Using an electric hand whisk, beat the egg whites in a large, clean glass bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold them into the almond mixture. Spoon into the prepared tin and level out the top. Bake for 30–40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool slightly in the tin, then transfer to a cooling rack.
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Serve slices of cake with scoops of pistachio ice cream.