Makes 6

Ingredients

• 3 Eggs
• 85 gm caster sugar
• 50 gm (1/3 cup) cornflour
• 25 gm (¼ cup) Dutch-process cocoa
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tbls plain flour
• 40 gm unsalted butter, melted
• ½ cup thickened cream
• ¼ cup sweetened chestnut puree
• Dutch-process cocoa, for dusting

Chocolate sauce

• 200 gm dark chocolate, chopped
• 50 gm unsalted butter

Method

1. Using an electric mixer, whisk eggs and sugar until mixture holds a trail. Sift cornflour, cocoa, cream of tartar, bicarbonate of soda and flour over egg mixture and, using a spatula, gentry fold in, then add melted butter and fold in until combined.

2. Spoon mixture into two 18 x 26 cm baking paper-lined swiss roll pans and bake at 180oC for 12 minutes or until cakes spring back when lightly touched. Stand cakes for 3 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool.

3. Using an electric mixer, whisk cream until soft peaks form, then stir in chestnut puree until combined. Using a 7cm round pastry cutter, cut 12 rounds from sponge, then spread 6 rounds with chestnut cream, top with remaining rounds and refrigerate for 5 minutes or until firm.

4. For chocolate sauce, melt chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, add butter and stir until smooth.

5. Serve cakes, dusted with cocoa and drizzled with chocolate sauce. Cakes will keep, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Recipe by Rodney Dunn Gourmet Traveller March 2005