Rich Chocolate & Pistachio Cake with Boozy Whipped Crème Fraîche

Method

Pre heat the oven to 180cC/ fan 160c. Line the bottom of a 20cm loose bottom cake tin with baking parchment. Grease the sides with butter and dust lightly with cocoa powder.

Put the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Allow to melt, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. In a bowl beat the egg yolks with half the sugar until pale. Mix in the cocoa, espresso powder and salt. Fold in the melted chocolate until well combined.

In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add the remaining sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking after each addition.

Fold the ground pistachios and a large spoonful of the egg whites into the chocolate and then fold in the remaining a third at a time

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40-45 minutes until the top is lightly cracked and a skewer comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool in the tin on a wire rack. Once cool, run a knife or spatula around the edges to loosen and then remove the cake from the tin onto a serving plate. Invert the cake so that the flat bottom is on top.

Make the ganache: put the chocolate into a bowl and set aside. Place the cream in a small saucepan over a low medium heat and bring to a low simmer – don’t let it boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and leave it to melt for a minute. Slowly whisk the cream through, moving in the same direction, until combined and smooth. Set aside to cool for 6–8 minutes before pouring onto the cake. When set scatter with chopped pistachios.

To make the boozy crème fraîche:  whisk the cream, crème fraiche and sugar until soft peaks form. Add the alcohol and whisk again to soft peaks.

Serve slices of the cake with a dollop of the boozy cream.