One bowl chocolate fudge

for the cake

100 grams plain flour/hazelnut flour
90 grams caster sugar
15 grams best-quality cocoa powder
1 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
35ml sour cream/curd
¼ tablespoon vanilla extract
75ml corn oil
75ml chilled water

for the fudge icing

45grams dark chocolate(minimum 70% cocoa solids)/Nutella
65 grams unsalted butter (softened)
70 grams icing sugar (sifted, necessarily)
¼ tablespoon vanilla extract

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.
Butter and line the bottom of a 20cm/8 inch sandwich tin.
In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
In another bowl or wide-necked measuring jug whisk together all the liquid ingredients.
Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix together on a slow speed until everything is blended and then pour into the prepared tin. The batter will be very liquidy. That's what will make the cake moist.
Bake the cake for 30-40 minutes, or until a cake-tester comes out clean. Cool the cake in its tin on a wire rack for 25 minutes, and then turn the cake out onto the rack to cool completely. Then transfer on to a serving plate.

Icing:
To make the icing, melt the chocolate in the microwave - 1 minute on medium should do it - or in a bowl sitting over a pan of simmering water, and let cool slightly.

In another bowl beat the butter until it's soft and creamy and then add the sieved icing sugar and beat again until everything's light and fluffy. Then gently add the vanilla and chocolate and mix together until everything is glossy and smooth. Ice the top and sides too, spreading and smoothing with a rubber spatula.
Decorate with chocolate chips or hazelnuts.

To serve, boil water in a pan and dip the knife in it, once hot, take the knife out and wipe it with a clean spare cloth and cut a slice and then dip the knife in the water again and repeat.

To refrigerate, always seal the cake from all sides and when taking out of the fridge, make sure you leave it covered at room temperature for atleast half an hour.

Nutella Cake with Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache

Cake:
6 large eggs, separated
pinch salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 13-ounce container Nutellla
1 tablespoon rum
1/2 cup finely ground hazelnuts
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted and
cooled

Ganache:
4 ounces whole hazelnuts
1/2 cup half and half (she calls for heavy cream but I was out, half and half worked well)
1 tablespoon rum
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; butter a 9-inch springform pan. In a large bowl (preferably metal),
whisk the egg whites and salt until stiff. In another bowl, cream the butter and Nutella, then add
the rum, egg yolks, and ground hazelnuts. Fold in melted chocolate.

Add a blob of beaten egg whites to the chocolate batter, and mix gently until well-combined. Fold in the remaining whites, one-third at a time, very gently but thoroughly. Pour into springform and bake for 40 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting tester, which should come out mostly clean; lightly pressing finger into top to check for a slight bouncing-back; and observing edges beginning to separate from pan. Let cool completely, in pan, on a rack.

Toast the hazelnuts in a dry skillet, or toaster oven shaking them around frequently. Do it for about 4 minutes, or until they are lightly browned, then let cool completely. If hazelnuts came with skins on, put them in a towel after toasting and rub around; this will remove most of the skins.

Chop chocolate, and add to sauce pan with half and half and rum over medium-low heat. Once chocolate is melted and components are combined, whisk until mixture reaches desired thickness, then cool. Remove rim of cake pan and pour cooled ganache over, spreading lightly to create a smooth, shiny surface, and apply hazelnuts all over.

Ultimate chocolate cake

Ingredients

• 200g good quality dark chocolate, about 60% cocoa solids
• 200g butter
• 1 tbsp instant coffee granules
• 85g self-raising flour
• 85g plain flour
• ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 200g light muscovado sugar
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 25g cocoa powder
• 3 medium eggs
• 75ml buttermilk (5 tbsp)
• grated chocolate or curls, to decorate

For the ganache

• 200g good quality dark chocolate, as above
• 284ml carton double cream (pouring type)
• 2 tbsp golden caster sugar

Method

1. Butter a 20cm round cake tin (7.5cm deep) and line the base. Preheat the oven to fan 140C/conventional 160C/ gas 3. Break 200g good quality dark chocolate in pieces into a medium, heavy-based pan. Cut 200g butter into pieces and tip in with the chocolate, then mix 1 tbsp instant coffee granules into 125ml cold water and pour into the pan. Warm through over a low heat just until everything is melted – don’t overheat. Or melt in the microwave on Medium for about 5 minutes, stirring half way through.
2. While the chocolate is melting, mix 85g self-raising flour, 85g plain flour, ¼ bicarbonate of soda, 200g light muscovado sugar, 200g golden caster sugar and 25g cocoa powder in a big bowl, mixing with your hands to get rid of any lumps. Beat 3 medium eggs in a bowl and stir in 75ml (5 tbsp) buttermilk.
3. Now pour the melted chocolate mixture and the egg mixture into the flour mixture, stirring just until everything is well blended and you have a smooth, quite runny consistency. Pour this into the tin and bake for 1 hour 25- 1 hour 30 minutes – if you push a skewer in the centre it should come out clean and the top should feel firm (don’t worry if it cracks a bit). Leave to cool in the tin (don’t worry if it dips slightly), then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
4. When the cake is cold, cut it horizontally into three. Make the ganache: chop 200g good quality dark chocolate into small pieces and tip into a bowl. Pour a 284ml carton of double cream into a pan, add 2 tbsp golden caster sugar, and heat until it is about to boil. Take off the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
5. Sandwich the layers together with just a little of the ganache. Pour the rest over the cake letting it fall down the sides and smoothing to cover with a palette knife. Decorate with grated chocolate or a pile of chocolate curls. The cake keeps moist and gooey for 3-4 days.

Fastest Fudge Cake

• 4-1/2 oz. (1 cup) all-purpose flour
• 1 oz. (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutchprocessed)
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. table salt
• 4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and warm
• 1-1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 cup warm Ganache 

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 350 F. Grease the bottom of an 8x2- or 9x2-inch round cake pan or line it with parchment.
In a small bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift only if the cocoa remains lumpy after whisking. In a large bowl, combine the melted butter and brown sugar with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Add the eggs and vanilla; stir until well blended. Add the flour mixture all at once and stir just until all the flour is moistened. Pour the hot water over the batter; stir just until it’s incorporated and the batter is smooth. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes for a 9-inch pan; 35 to 40 min. for an 8-inch pan. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 10 min. Run a thin knife around the edge and invert the cake (peel off the parchment if necessary). Invert it again onto the rack and let cool completely.
Once cool, set the rack over a baking sheet or foil. Pour the warm ganache over the cake and use an icing spatula to spread it over the top of the cake and down the sides. Let set for about an hour before serving

Chocolate Walnut Tweed Torte

• 1 cup (3.5 oz.) walnut pieces
• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. (4.375 oz.) sugar
• 9 oz. bittersweet chocolate (70% to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped
• Finely grated zest of 1 medium orange (optional)
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 cup egg whites (from 7 to 8 large eggs)
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• Lightly sweetened whipped cream

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
Pulse the walnuts with 1 Tbs. of the sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Scrape the nuts into another bowl. Use a paper towel to wipe excess oil from the sides of the processor bowl, add the chocolate with 1 Tbs. sugar, and pulse until it forms crumbs ranging in size from coarse meal to 1/4-inch bits. Add the chocolate to the nuts, along with the orange zest, if using, and salt, and stir to combine. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar in a large clean, dry bowl at medium speed until the egg whites are creamy white and soft peaks are formed when the beaters are lifted. Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, beating at medium-high speed until the egg whites are glossy and stiff but not dry.
Pour half of the chocolate mixture over the egg whites and fold in with a large rubber spatula until nearly incorporated. Repeat with the remaining chocolate mixture, folding just until evenly incorporated.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the torte is puffed and golden brown on top and springs back when gently pressed with your fingers; a toothpick inserted in the center should come out moist and possibly stained with melted chocolate, but not coated with raw batter. Set the pan on a rack to cool. Slide a thin knife or a small metal spatula around the sides of the torte to release it from the pan. Remove the pan sides and transfer the cake to a serving platter.
Serve slices with a dollop of whipped cream.

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Glaze

For the cake:

• 12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (2-1/4 cups)
• 6 oz. (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into six pieces; more for the pan
• 5 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. table salt
• 3/4 oz. (1/4 cup) unsweetened natural cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy; more for the pan

For the glaze:

• 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (3/4 cup)
• 1-1/2 oz. (3 Tbs.) unsalted butter

Make the cake:

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 300°F. Lightly butter the bottom of a 9x2-inch round cake pan and line it with a round of parchment. Lightly butter the parchment and the sides of the pan and dust with cocoa powder. Tap out any excess.
Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave or in a medium metal bowl set in a skillet of barely simmering water, stirring with a rubber spatula until smooth. Remove the bowl from the water bath and set aside to cool slightly. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt, and 2 Tbs. water. Beat on mediumhigh speed until the mixture is very foamy, pale in color, and doubled in volume, 2 min. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually pour in the chocolate mixture. Increase the speed to medium high and continue beating until well blended, about 30 seconds. Add the cocoa powder and mix on medium low just until blended, about 30 seconds.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a pick inserted in the center comes out looking wet with small gooey clumps, 40 to 45 min. Don’t overcook. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 30 min. If necessary, gently push the edges down with your fingertips until the layer is even. Run a small knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake. Cover the cake pan with a wire rack and invert. Remove the pan and parchment and let the cake cool completely. The cake may look cinched in around its sides, which is fine. Transfer to a cake plate. Cover and refrigerate the cake until it’s very cold, at least 6 hours or overnight.

Glaze the cake:

Tip:

To slice this cake (or any dense, sticky cake), heat the knife first, either by dipping it in a tall container of very hot water or by holding it under hot running water for a few seconds. Then wipe it dry before cutting the cake. The knife will cool quickly, and the cake will start sticking, so expect to rinse and repeat several times. A crème brûlée torch, if you have one, is also handy for heating up a knife.

Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave or in a medium metal bowl set in a skillet of barely simmering water, stirring with a rubber spatula until smooth. Pour the warm glaze over the chilled cake and, using an offset spatula, spread the glaze evenly to within 1/4 inch of the edge. Refrigerate the cake until the glaze is set, 20 to 40 min. Before serving, remove the cake from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature, 20 to 30 min. To serve, cut the cake into small, if not tiny, slices using a hot knife.

Orange and Hazelnut Cake with Orange Flower Syrup

For the syrup

• 1-1/4 cups superfine sugar
• 2-1/2 Tbs. orange juice
• 2-1/2 Tbs. orange flower water
• Grated zest of 1 orange

For the cake

• 5 large eggs, separated
• 1 cup superfine sugar
• 2-1/4 cups hazelnut flour or meal

To serve

• 1-1/3 cups Greek-style yogurt
• 2 Tbs. confectioners' sugar
• Pulp of 4 passion fruits

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Make the syrup:

In a saucepan, bring 2/3 cup water to a boil. Add the sugar and orange juice and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is thick and syrupy. Remove from the heat and let cool. Stir in the orange flower water and orange zest.

Make the cake:

In a bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until thick and pale. Fold the hazelnut flour into the yolk mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff and glossy, then gently fold them into the hazelnut mixture.
Grease the loaf pan and line with parchment paper. Pour in the batter. Bake for about 30 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove the cake from the oven and evenly pour the cooled orange syrup over the top.

To serve:

Combine the yogurt, confectioners' sugar and passion fruit pulp in a bowl. Serve generously with the warm cake.