Chocolate ginger slump cake recipe

[letgo]

Chocolate ginger slump cake
Slump cake because it rises, then slumps to something with the inner softness of a decent brownie, not because it is particularly suited to these troubled economic times. Serve it while still just warm — and certainly within a few hours of making

Makes 1 x 23cm cake
- 80g stem ginger (about 4 balls)
- 3 tbsp brandy
- 2 tbsp ginger syrup (from the stem-ginger jar)
- 200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
- 100g unsalted butter
- 4 medium eggs, separated
- 125g sugar
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- Pinch of salt
- Icing sugar, to dust
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Line the bottom of a round, loose-bottomed 23cm tin with a circle of baking parchment.

Whizz the ginger with the brandy and syrup in a blender or liquidiser to give a bitty slush. Rest a metal bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (but do not let it touch the water). Break the chocolate into squares and chop the butter. Add to the bowl and leave to melt. Once melted, stir thoroughly and let it cool a little.

Put the yolks and 100g of the sugar in a bowl, then beat with a whisk for about 5 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy; it should leave a ribbon trail when you lift the whisk. With a clean whisk, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks, then add the remaining sugar and beat to stiffish peaks.
Gently fold the melted chocolate into the egg-yolk mixture, then the ginger slush, then the cornflour and salt. Finally, fold in the beaten whites until just incorporated. Pour the mixture into the lined tin and bake in the oven for 25 minutes until the centre is risen and just set. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 15 minutes. Take it out of the tin and leave to cool until just warm or room temperature.

Just before serving, sieve a bit of icing sugar over the top. Serve with cream, crème fraîche, mascarpone or vanilla ice cream.