Italian Chocolate and Nut Cake (Panforte)

KWB's Note:

Just saw this on five's Cooking the Books and wanted to hang onto it. It comes from Fantastico! recipe book by Gino D'Acampo. I love the idea of a quick chocolate fix that looks elegant and doesn't require cooking! Cooking time = cooling time, 2 hours for 'cake' to set, then another hour for the topping to set. (Note: contains raw egg whites)

• Total Time: 3 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 250 g dark chocolate
• 3 medium egg whites
• 50 g candied peel
• 200 g ground almonds
• 100 g walnuts , crushed
• 50 hazelnuts , crushed
• 200 g icing sugar
• 4 tablespoons amaretto liqueur
• 100 g dark chocolate (for topping)
• 70 g icing sugar , plus extra for dusting (for topping)

Directions:

1. Melt the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, ensuring that the base of the bowl does not touch the water
2. Use a fork to beat the egg whites in a large bowl for 2 minutes. Add in the peel, ground almonds, the nuts, icing sugar and Amaretto. Mix well, then very gently fold in the melted chocolate.
3. Line a circular flan dish measuring about 18cm across and 3sm deep with clingfilm. Pour in the mixture and set aside for 2 hours.
4. To make the topping, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, ensuring that the base of the bowl does not touch the water
5. Melt the icing sugar and 2 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan over a low heat. Stir to check the sugar has melted, then add the chocolate to make a syrup.
6. Turn out the cake onto a plate and peel off the clingfilm. Use a spatula to cover the surface with the chocolate syrup. Set aside for 1 hour until the chocolate has hardened.
7. Serve in slices, dusted with icing sugar, with a cup of your favourite tea.