Recipe Book

Directions

1. Position oven shelves; preheat oven to moderately slow. Grease deep 22cm-round cake pan, line base with baking paper.
2. Combine chopped chocolate and the water in small saucepan; using wooden spoon, stir over low heat until chocolate melts. Remove from heat.
3. Beat butter and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until combined; beat in eggs, one at a time, only until combined. Mixture will curdle at this stage but will come together later.
4. Transfer mixture to large bowl; using wooden spoon, stir in sifted flour, cocoa, almond meal and warm chocolate mixture. Mix well, pour into prepared pan.
5. Bake cake in moderately slow oven about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Stand cake 10 minutes then turn onto wire rack; turn cake top-side up to cool.
6. To make the ganache, place chocolate and cream in small heatproof bowl; using wooden spoon, stir over small saucepan of simmering water until chocolate melts.
7. Using serrated knife, split cold -cake in half; sandwich layers with jam. Place cake on wire rack over tray; using metal spatula, spread a thin layer: of ganache over cake.
8. Heat remaining ganache over saucepan of simmering water, stirring, until of pouring consistency; strain into medium jug.
9. Using metal spatula and working quickly, pour ganache over cake, smoothing it all over top and side.
10. Stand at room temperature until ganache sets.