I have really enjoyed this season of GBBO and with it being the semi-finals next week, it is getting even more exciting! This week was ‘free-from’ week – here is my favourite ‘free from’ recipe for a fabulous gluten-free CHOCOLATE MOCHA TORTE – completely delicious whether you’re gluten-free or not!

Ingredients:

170g plain chocolate, broken into pieces
113g unsalted butter
150g caster sugar
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
180g beaten eggs, approximately 3 large
43g cocoa powder

Ganache (optional)

170g plain chocolate
113g double cream

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 190C/170 fan and prepare a 20cm cake tin by greasing the sides and lining the bottom. Melt the chocolate and butter in a bain marie, taking care the bottom of the bowl doesn’t come in contact with the water. When melted, stir in the sugar, salt, espresso powder, and vanilla. Add the beaten eggs and beat briefly until smooth then add the cocoa powder and mix to combine.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for approximately 25 minutes until a thin crust has formed on the top. Cool in the pan before removing and turning upside down onto a serving plate (the bottom becomes the top), it is ok if the edges crack a little. Allow the cake to cool completely before glazing.

To make the ganache, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, bring the cream up to simmering and pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Allow it to stand without stirring for 5 minutes then slowly stir until the chocolate is smooth. Spoon the glaze over the cake and allow to set, this may take several hours.

Top baking tip! When melting chocolate or chocolate and butter in a bain-marie, bring the water to a full boil and turn off the heat before placing the bowl of chocolate on top. The residual heat should be sufficient to melt the chocolate without the risk of steam getting into the mixture, causing it to seize.

Let’s Bake Together!

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