serves 8-10

• 200 g 72% cocoa chocolate (dark), broken into pieces
• 150 g butter, low fat spread or margarine
• 5 medium eggs, separated
• 150 g golden caster sugar
• 3 tbsp strong coffee, instant or brewed
• 100 g ground almonds 2 tbsp cocoa powder, unsweetened
• 1 tsp baking powder cocoa powder or icing sugar for dusting top of cake

preheat oven: 190°C, fan 170°C, 375°F, Gas 5

• 1. Line a 225mm (9") circular springform cake tin with non-stick baking paper.
• 2. Put the chocolate pieces and butter into a saucepan and melt over a gentle heat until completely melted and well combined.
• 3. Beat the egg whites until they are stiff, when you can tip the bowl on its side and the beaten egg whites don't move you know that you have beaten it enough. Then add half of the sugar and beat together.
• 4. Add the other half of the sugar to the egg yolks and beat together until the mix is creamy and thicker.
• 5. Add the egg yolk mix and the coffee to the melted chocolate, gently stir the ingredients together.
• 6. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the mixture, ensuring that the air beaten into the egg whites is not lost.
• 7. Mix the ground almonds, cocoa powder and baking powder together thoroughly, then slowly add this mix to the chocolate mix. Make sure that both mixes are well combined, but do not beat the ingredients together.
• 8. Pour the mixture into the baking tin and bake for 45-50 minutes. To check that the cake is cooked properly insert a skewer into the centre of the cake, if it comes out clean then the cake is cooked.
• 9. Leave the cake in the baking tin for 30 minutes to cool, then turn out to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
• 10. Before serving, dust with either sieved cocoa powder or icing sugar. This cake is slightly moist in the centre with a firmer crust on the outside which gives a wonderful combination of textures. It's very rich and chocolatey and we like to serve it either on its own for an afternoon tea treat, or with a generous helping of organic vanilla ice cream for an after dinner dessert.

Dear son made this cake and omitted the almonds. It still tasted gorgeous. I couldn't believe there was no flour or flour substitute!

When the cake was cook, He used chocolate frosting on the top - extra yum!

MAKES ABOUT 16 - this is a recipe I have tweaked over the years! Great race pre-fuel or apres race treat. It is sticky so wrap in greased proof paper & carry in a tight container so it doesnt crumble.

50 g (4oz) dark soft sugar

150g (4 oz) butter

30g Honey

30g Golden syrup

275g porridge oats (I use gluten free)

50g ground almonds

20g crushed walnuts

30g raisins (optional) (I prefer chopped figs)

2 tsps mixed spices

 

Heat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, Gas Mark 4. Grease a shallow 20 cm (8 inch) square baking tin, and line with greaseproof paper

Place the sugar with the butter and honey/golden syrup in a saucepan and stir over a low heat until melted. Remove from the heat and stir in all the remaining ingredients. Stir well to mix.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, spread out evenly and press down with the back of a spoon. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until golden and firm to the touch.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then cut into squares and leave until completely cold. Loosen each square with a palette knife and lift carefully from the tin.

I also added in various things at the oats stage –
Chopped glace cherries,chopped dates,chopped figs, a little rum, tiny marshmallows.. the choice is endless!

preheat oven to 180C degrees/fan 160C degrees/Gas 4

100g/4oz Butter
150g/6oz Cooking chocolate (I use Green & Blacks organic cooking chocolate for extra bite)
100g/40z Doves Farm white SR flour blend
200g/8oz castor sugar (I use brown or golden)
3 eggs

1. Beat the eggs together then mix in the suagr and flour.
2. Gently melt together the butter and chocolate, then stir into the flour mix.
3. Pour into 150x200mm/6x8" oiled and lined baking dish
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 30-35 mins
5. Cut into squares or slices before serving hot or cold.

Courtesy of the Doves Farm SR Flour package

My errors on first attempt -
1. misread packaging and thought it said 2 eggs!
2. Had oven too hot initially as forgot mine is fan assisted!

Ideas for future batches -

1.add in chopped nuts of choice, and/or mini marshmallows
2. Ice the top with american style chocolate frosting using cream cheese
3. Use orange essence and zest

Verdict -
Just like a perfect Brownie! Slight chewy crust and very moist inner. Still get that slight chalky,gritty texture from the mixed flour as not wheat. Wonderful taste using the extra rich dark Green and Black chocolate.

Am freezing half the batch so I dont eat them all in one go. I am taking the rest to the very cold and muddy Salamon Turbo X Challenge 20th November.