Let’s eat cake

Pastry cook and MasterChef Australia winner EMELIA JACKSON shares her love of baking in a new book.

- Edited extract from FIRST, CREAM THE BUTTER AND SUGAR, by Emelia Jackson

There’s something beautiful about a flourless chocolate cake – rich and decadent, with a crisp, meringue-like cracked top, and yet so simple to make. This one is surprisingly light (think a hybrid of chocolate mousse, chocolate fondant and chocolate cake). The fact the cake rises up before collapsing back down and cracking means you can’t mess it up, and the more cracked the cake is, the more character it has. I sometimes like to pile raspberries or macerated strawberries into the ditch left in the centre and dust it with a light coating of cocoa powder for extra bitterness. Serve this gluten-free cake with vanilla chantilly cream (see recipe following) or ice cream.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE SOUFFLÉ CAKE 200g unsalted butter, chopped 200g dark chocolate (70%), chopped 6 eggs, separated 150g light brown sugar 20g dark cocoa powder,½ tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla extract 50g caster sugar

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Line a 23cm spring-form cake tin with baking paper.

Combine the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water to melt until liquid and glossy. (You can also melt it in the microwave in 30-second intervals on medium.) Set aside to cool slightly.

Using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks, brown sugar, cocoa, salt and vanilla until light, voluminous and aerated. Fold in the cooled chocolate mixture.

Wash and dry the whisk attachment, then whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until soft peaks form. Slowly rain in the caster sugar and continue whisking until a meringue has formed. The meringue should be of medium thickness – don’t over whisk it or it will cause the batter to deflate.