Chocolate sponge with hot chocolate custard#
- 300g stoned dates, chopped
- 6 large eggs, separated
- 350g light muscovado sugar
- 200g wholemeal flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 100g cocoa
For the custard
- 5 tbsp custard powder
- 5 tbsp light muscovado sugar
- 50g cocoa powder
- 1.2l skimmed milk
-
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 40 mins
plus soaking
Easy
Serves 12
- Cover the dates with boiling water and set aside to soften for 30 mins.
- Heat
oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and line a 20 x 30cm baking tin with baking
parchment. Drain the dates, reserving the liquid, then whizz the dates
to a purée with 100ml of the soaking liquid.
- Beat
the egg whites in a large bowl with an electric whisk until stiff peaks
hold on the end of your whisk. Add half the sugar and beat until thick
and glossy.
- In
another bowl, beat the yolks and remaining sugar until pale. Whisk in
the mashed date mixture, then fold into the egg white mixture until well
combined. Mix the flour, baking powder and cocoa with a pinch of salt.
Sprinkle over the wet mixture and very gently fold in until well
combined. Gently scrape into the tin and spread to the edges. Bake for
35-40 mins until a skewer poked in comes out clean.
- Meanwhile,
mix the custard powder, sugar and cocoa together in a saucepan. Stir in
dribbles of milk until you get a smooth paste. Gradually add more milk
until it’s all incorporated with no lumps. Put over a medium heat and
warm, stirring constantly, until thick and just bubbling.
- Cut the warm cake into slabs and pour over the hot chocolate custard to serve.