Amaretti Chocolate Cake

Italian Amaretti biscuits are now widely available in supermarkets, as well as delicatessen, and their strong almond flavour is the perfect match with some strong, very dark chocolate.

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This recipe is taken from The Delia Collection: Chocolate

Method

To start, break up the chocolate into a heatproof bowl, pour in the cream and fit the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water making sure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water, and leave until the chocolate has melted. Then take the bowl off the heat and, using an electric hand mixer, whisk the chocolate and cream together until you have a cold, creamy mixture. Next, mix the brandy and cider together and pour into a shallow dish, then dip the biscuits, one at a time, first into the liquor, then into the chocolate cream, and arrange a layer of biscuits in the base of the pudding basin. Now spread a layer of chocolate mixture over the first layer of biscuits, then repeat the whole process until you have 4 layers. Place a saucer (one that fits inside the rim of the basin) on top of the mixture, put a 2 or 3 lb (900 g/1 kg) weight on top and leave in the fridge overnight. Before serving, dip the basin in hot water for about 3 seconds and turn the pudding out on to a flat serving plate. Then put the cake back in the fridge for 15 minutes to allow the outside to get firm again, and finally, dust with cocoa powder. Photograph: Michael Paul