Double Chocolate Walnut Cake
A PFP (Perfect for Passover) Cake with a Story.
For years my husband Danny spoke of his late mother Talia’s chocolate cake being the best in the world. I was like ‘yeh yeh yeh, everyone thinks their mother’s cake is the best’ and had never seen the recipe nor could I recall ever tasting it. One day I asked my sister- in- law Kathy about it and finally tried making it. I tasted it and said ‘ah, yes, now I understand!’
This is an exceptional cake – flourless and rich, with the most fabulous milk chocolate icing that you want to dive right into. Note that the icing recipe method in the book, Now for Something Sweet, is incorrect – if you continue to whisk the icing it will not get thicker but will actually start to separate. The correct version is below.
NOTE: This icing contain raw eggs. Always use the freshest eggs for recipes with raw eggs. If you are at increased risk of the effects of salmonella poisoning, and for food to be served to children, the elderly or pregnant women, please consult your medical professional before eating. It is recommended that any dish containing raw eggs be stored in the fridge below 5°C (41°F) and consumed within 24 hours.
Check out our complete Passover Roundup for 2022.
Double Chocolate Walnut Cake
Ingredients
CAKE
- 100 g best quality dark chocolate (3 1/2 oz)
- 45 g Unsalted Butter
- 220 g walnut halves (2 cups)
- 6 eggs separated
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 230 g Caster (Superfine) Sugar (1 cup)
ICING
- 200 g best quality milk and/or dark chocolate (7 oz)
- 40 g unsalted butter,chopped (2 tablespoons)
- 2 eggs separated
- 1 tablespoon Caster (Superfine) Sugar
- 1 tablespoon brandy
Instructions
- Grease a 24 or 26 cm springform cake tin. Preheat the oven to 160℃ (320 ℉).
- Melt the chocolate and butter together and set aside to cool.
- Grind the walnuts in the food processor until coarsely ground but not overprocessed.
- In the mixmaster, whisk the egg whites with the salt until white and foamy. While continuing to whisk, gradually add the sugar and continue until soft peaks form.
- While still whisking, add the egg yolks one at a time.
- Add the ground walnuts and the melted chocolate mixture and fold in gently by hand.
- Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- It will sink and crack as it cools - don't worry!
- Allow to cool completely before removing the cake from the tin and icing it.
- To make the icing, gently melt the chocolate and butter together and set aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt and the sugar until stiff peaks form. Set aside. Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl and add in a little of the cooled chocolate mixture. Stir gently and add a little more, stir again, and then the remainder. Fold in a spoon of egg whites to the chocalate mixture and then fold in the remaining egg whites. Fold in the brandy, if using.
- If the icing is too soft to spread, refrigerate for 15 mins or so until it firms up.
- Spread the icing over the top and side of the cake. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving (but not more than 24 hours)
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator (the icing contains raw egg).
Notes
