Mocha Cake Bombe

This is just an incredible recipe that will have you swooning, as long as you don't think about the calories! You can make it easier by buying a Madeira cake or any pound-type cake. Or, if you're anal like me about preservatives and other stuff in store-bought things you can make your own. I used recipe number 85, Butter Madeira Cake. Make this up to 2 days ahead or freeze it, for easy party planning!

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 250  g mascarpone cheese
• 50  g caster sugar
• 500  ml  double cream
• 50  g coconut or 50  g  chopped  almonds
• 200  g  good quality chocolate, chopped
• 150  ml strong black coffee or 150  ml  hot cocoa
• 4  tablespoons  chocolate-flavored liqueur or 4  tablespoons  Tia Maria
• 1  loaf  madeira  cake

Directions

1. Beat the mascarpone until slightly softened, then beat in the sugar.
2. Whip 300ml of the cream until it just holds its shape, then fold lightly into the mascarpone.
3. Toast the coconut or almonds in a dry frying pan until tinged brown, then cool.
4. Chop the chocolate and mix with the cooled almonds. Set aside 2 tbsp to use later on for decoration.
5. Mix together the coffee or hot chocolate with the alcohol.
6. Cut the cake into 15 slices.
7. Now, you can choose to make the cake either in a baking dish (easier perhaps if you need to travel with it or slice for serve-yourself-occasions like a potluck) or in a bowl, which will result in a dome shaped bombe.
8. If you are going for a baking dish, use a pan that is roughly 8 x 10 inches.
9. If you go for a pudding basin, it should be about 1.4 litre or 2-1/2 pint capacity and lined with cling film.
10. Either way, start by lining the base with a few pieces of cake.
11. When you've completed a layer, sprinkle over some of the coffee/alcohol mixture, then smooth a few spoonfuls of the mascarpone/whipping cream on top.
12. Add some of the chocolate and almond or coconut mixture and then repeat the layers.
13. Finish with a layer of cake, moistened with any remaining coffee mixture.
14. Cover the top of the desert and chill for at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.
15. Remove the cling film and, if you're using a bowl, invert it onto a serving plate.
16. Whip the remaining cream to soft peaks and spread over the top and sides of the bombe.
17. Scatter over the remaining chocolate/almond mixture.
18. You can freeze this after it's been layered for up to 3 months.
19. Defrost overnight and then continue with the rest of the steps.