Chocolate Crème Slab Cake Recipe

SERVES 8-10

Ingredients:

• 250 g butter, chopped and softened, plus extra for greasing
• 345 g (1 1/2 cups) caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3 tablespoons black coffee, cooled to room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• a pinch of salt flakes
• 300 g (2 cups) self-raising flour
• 55 g (1/2 cup) hazelnut meal or almond meal
• 50 g (1/2 cup) cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 180 ml (3/4 cup) buttermilk
• chopped toasted hazelnuts, to serve

Berry compote

• 500 g fresh or frozen berries of your choice
• 345 g (1 1/2 cups) caster sugar
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• zest and juice of 1 orange
• 1 star anise

Chocolate creme

• 180 ml (3/4 cup) milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornflour
• 80 g (1/3 cup) caster sugar
• 100 g dark chocolate (70% cacao), chopped
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 150 ml thickened cream

Method:

1. Place all the berry compote ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir to combine and cook for 8–10 minutes until the berries soften. Turn the heat down to low and cook for 15–20 minutes until the compote is reduced by two-thirds and bubbling around the edge. Transfer to a heatproof container, then place in the fridge to chill until required.
2. For the chocolate crème, combine 125 ml (1/2 cup) of milk and the cornflour in a bowl and whisk well. Place the sugar and the remaining milk in a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium– high heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to the boil. Whisk in the cornflour mixture and cook over medium–low heat for 2–3 minutes until thickened. Add the chocolate and butter and continue to whisk until melted, shiny and smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour, or until set. Combine the cream and chocolate mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on high speed using the whisk attachment for 3 minutes, or until stiff peaks form. Cover and chill until required.
3. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease and line a 6 cm deep, 35 cm × 20 cm cake tin or baking dish.
4. Place the butter and caster sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on high speed until pale and creamy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, incorporating well before adding the next. Turn the speed to low and mix in the coffee, vanilla and salt. Fold in the flour, hazelnut or almond meal, cocoa powder, baking powder and buttermilk with a large metal spoon.
5. Spoon the cake batter into the prepared tin and bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the tin.
6. Once the cake has cooled, spread with the chilled chocolate crème and spoon over the berry compote. Finish with a sprinkling of chopped hazelnuts and serve.

Slow cooker method

Place all the berry compote ingredients in the slow cooker and set to high. Cook for 3–4 hours until the compote is reduced by two-thirds and bubbling around the edge. Transfer to a heatproof container and chill until required. Follow steps 2–6.

‘The Slow Cook’ by Justine Schofield, Published by Plum,
RRP $39.99. Photography by Rob Palmer