Dark Chocolate and Olive Oil Mousse Cake

Pastel de chocolate con aceite de oliva

220g 70% dark chocolate (fair trade please)

4 egg yolks 

100g coconut sugar

2TBSP raw cacao or good organic cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

1tsp vanilla extract

100ml fruity olive oil (I use Arbequina)

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4 egg whites

2TBSP coconut sugar

1tsp olive oil to smear around the cake tin

50g ground almonds, to dust the cake tin

1 x 23cm non-stick cake tin

Pre-heat the oven to 180c/350f

In a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt 170g of the dark chocolate; and chop the remaining 50g to scatter over the cake before you bake it in the oven.

Next job, whisk the egg yolks and 100g coconut sugar until thick and creamy. Add the raw cacao, salt, vanilla and whisk until the ingredients turn into a delicious goop. Then, in three additions, add the olive oil and whisk to amalgamate.

In another meticulously clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peak. Sprinkle over the extra 2TBSP coconut sugar and whisk until the sugar almost disappears. You will still see sugar bits here and there, but don’t worry, coconut sugar has a different texture to caster sugar and doesn’t dissolve as easily.

Using a metal serving spoon, loosen the chocolate mixture with a dollop of whisked egg white. Proceed (posh) to fold in the rest of the egg white, folding in a figure of eight as you go.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Scatter over the chopped dark chocolate and bake on the middle shelf in the pre-heated oven for 30minutes. The cake will rise and crack (it’s the nature of the beast), after half an hour, pull it out and let cool to room temperature. Wrap in foil, lightly, and chill in the fridge for at least three hours before cutting.

Serve with seasonal blackberries and a spoonful of creme fraiche