This melt-in-the-mouth cake with its soft, mousselike centre is a truly decadent treat. Serve it with a cup of coffee when you need a pick-me-up or savour it for dessert.

Ingredients: (Serves 8)

• 260 g/9 oz dark chocolate
• 170 g/6 oz butter, diced
• 200 g/7 oz caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 70 g/2½ oz plain flour
• 2 tablespoons instant coffee dissolved in 2 tablespoons boiling water
• Thick cream, to serve

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160ºC/325ºF/Gas Mark 3. Grease a 20-cm/8-inch springform tin and line the bottom with greaseproof paper.

Break the chocolate into pieces and put them in a heatproof bowl with the butter. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and heat gently until the chocolate and butter have melted. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar, then beat in the eggs, one at a time. Sift the flour over the mixture, then fold in. Stir in the coffee.

Tip the mixture into the prepared springform tin and bake for 55 minutes until firm on top, with a slight wobble in the centre. (The cake will firm as it cools.) Leave to cool in the tin.

Carefully turn the cake out onto a serving plate and serve in wedges with thick cream poured over the top.