Almond Chocolate Cake

Cake:

• 200g dark chocolate melts
• 200g unsalted butter
• 1 ¾ cup CSR Caster Sugar
• ½ cup (125ml) hot water
• 1 tsp instant coffee
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cup White Wings Self Raising Flour
• 2/3 cup baking cocoa 
• ¾ cup almond meal
• ½ cup (125ml) full cream milk      

Ganache:

• 290g dark chocolate melts
• ¾ cup (180ml) thickened cream
• Dr. Oetker Chocolate Stars 

Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 170°C (fan forced). Grease and line a deep 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
2. Combine dark chocolate melts, butter, caster sugar, water and instant coffee in a large saucepan over a low heat until smooth and melted. Set aside and allow to cool.
3.  Add eggs, vanilla extract and mix until just combined. Sift over self raising flour, cocoa, and almond meal and mix until there is still a few streaks of flour. Add milk and mix until combined.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in tin for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Ganache:

1. Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside. 
2. In a small saucepan over a low heat, gently bring cream to a simmer. 
3. Pour over chocolate and allow to sit for 4 minutes before stirring until smooth.
4.  Allow to cool to room temperature and thicken to a spreadable consistency before spreading over cooled cake. 
5. Top with chocolate stars.

Tip:  

Instant coffee does not impart any flavour; it simply enhances the taste of chocolate.