Chocolate Nut Cake Recipe

175 g/6 oz/1½ cups ground almonds

175 g/6 oz/¾ cup caster (superfine) sugar

4 eggs, separated

5 ml/1 teaspoon vanilla essence (extract)

175 g/6 oz/1½ cups plain (semi-sweet) chocolate, grated

15 ml/1 tablespoon chopped mixed nuts

Method:

Stir together the ground almonds and sugar, then beat in the egg yolks, vanilla essence and chocolate. Whisk the egg whites until very stiff, then fold into the chocolate mixture using a metal spoon. Spoon into a greased and lined 20 cm/8 in cake tin (pan) and sprinkle with the chopped nuts. Bake in a preheated oven at 190ºC/375ºF/gas mark 5 for 25 minutes until well risen and springy to the touch.