chocolate star anise cake with coffee caramel cream

serves 8

200 g (7 oz) good-quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped

125 g (4½ oz) unsalted butter

4 eggs

2 egg yolks

115 g (4 oz/½ cup) caster (superfine) sugar

50 g (1¾ oz) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted

2 teaspoons ground star anise

55 g (2 oz/½ cup) ground almonds

coffee caramel cream

125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) thick (double/heavy) cream

45 g (1½ oz/¼ cup) soft brown sugar

2 tablespoons brewed espresso coffee, cooled

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F/Gas 5). Grease and line a 23 cm (9 inch) spring-form cake tin. Put the chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water, but do not allow the base of the bowl to come into contact with the water. Heat gently until the mixture is melted.

Put the eggs, egg yolks and sugar into a bowl and beat with electric beaters for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Fold in the flour, ground star anise and ground almonds and then fold in the melted chocolate mixture until evenly combined (the mixture should be runny at this stage). Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes and then remove and cool on a wire rack.

To make the coffee caramel cream, whip the cream, sugar and coffee together until soft peaks form and the colour is a pale caramel. Serve the cold cake cut into wedges with a spoonful of the coffee caramel cream.