A slice of goodness: Chilled chocolate macadamia cake 

Simply as indulgent dished up for pud as with a cuppa. Among the best routes to a 50% cocoa chocolate is to combine half a 30% cocoa milk chocolate with half a 70% cocoa darkish chocolate.

MAKES 1 small loaf

90ml rapeseed oil, plus further for greasing the tin

150g darkish chocolate (about 50% cocoa), damaged up

75g darkish brown delicate sugar

2 medium eggs

60g floor almonds

50g buckwheat flour

1 rounded tsp baking powder, sifted

3 tbsp robust black espresso

50g darkish chocolate (about 70% cocoa), chopped

75g macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

50g medjool dates, halved lengthways, pitted and sliced throughout

2 tbsp date syrup

• Preheat the oven to 170C/ 150C fan/fuel 3½. Brush a 1lb nonstick loaf tin with oil and line the bottom with baking paper.
• Gently soften the 50% cocoa chocolate with the oil in a bowl set over a pan with just a little simmering water in it. Take away from the warmth, add the sugar and whisk to eliminate any lumps.
• Separately, add the eggs to the chocolate combination, beating nicely after every addition and persevering with to beat on the finish till the combination could be very shiny and amalgamated. Gently fold within the floor almonds, flour and baking powder. Stir within the espresso, and fold within the chopped 70% cocoa chocolate, 50g of the nuts and the dates, separating out the items. Switch the cake combination to the tin and bake for 35-40 minutes till risen however a skewer inserted on the center comes out barely moist, because the cake ought to stay gooey within the centre as soon as cool. Run a knife across the fringe of the tin and go away the cake to chill – it should sink just a little within the centre.
• Prove the cooled cake, putting it base upwards and peel off the paper. Gently warmth the date syrup in a pan till runny. Trickle this over the cake and let it run down the perimeters, then use a brush to unfold it excessive. End by scattering over the remaining nuts. Chill for a number of hours or in a single day till fudgy. This may maintain nicely, loosely coated, for at the least a few days.