Polish Chocolate & Walnut Cake

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cupsall-purpose flour, for chocolate sponge
• 1/2 cupcocoa powder, corrected to cocoa powder; for chocolate sponge
• 8egg, separated; whites beaten stiff for sponge, yolks folded in after sugar
• 1 cupsuperfine sugar, for chocolate sponge
• 5egg white, additional egg whites; for walnut meringue layer
• 1 cupsuperfine sugar, for walnut meringue layer; added gradually
• 2 1/4 cupswalnuts, finely chopped; most folded into meringue, a few reserved for decoration
• 1 tbspall-purpose flour, folded into walnut meringue layer
• 1 tbsppotato starch, folded into walnut meringue layer for stability
• 7 tbspheavy cream, for chocolate ganache
• 1/2 cupchocolate chips, dark; for chocolate ganache

Method

1. 1

   Heat oven to 350°F / 300°F fan / Gas 3½. Line a 30 × 22cm shallow baking pan with parchment. Sift the 150g flour with the cocoa and set aside.

2. 2

   Beat the 8 egg whites to stiff peaks, then add the 200g sugar in small batches, whisking constantly. Add the egg yolks one by one, whisking. Gently fold in the flour-cocoa mixture.

3. 3

   Pour into the lined pan and bake for 35 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, remove from pan and re-line the pan with fresh parchment.

4. 4

   Make the walnut meringue: whisk the 5 egg whites to stiff peaks, then gradually whisk in the second 200g sugar, 1 tbsp at a time. Fold in the chopped walnuts (reserving some for decoration), the 1 tbsp flour and potato starch. Spread into the re-lined pan and bake for 40 minutes at the same temperature. Cool.

5. 5

   Make the chocolate ganache: heat the cream over low heat, then remove from heat. Pour in the chocolate chips and stir until melted and shiny.

6. 6

   Cut both the sponge and meringue into two layers each. Assemble: bottom sponge layer, then a meringue layer with walnuts sprinkled on, then another meringue layer, then the top sponge layer. Cover the top with chocolate ganache. Decorate with reserved walnuts.

7. 7

   Refrigerate for 1–2 hours before serving.