Cakes

Fig + Walnut Chocolate Truffle Cake


Prep Time : 15 Minutes | Cook Time : 30 Minutes | Total Time : 1 hour | Difficulty : Moderate

Hello my lovelies! Let’s do something nice for Mum. We don’t do enough of those. How about a decadent chocolate truffle cake. To help y’all get back in your Mum’s good books. We are folding walnuts and figs in with our chocolate. We are baking gently for soft squidgy middles. Good in cake if nowhere else… We are serving with lashings of whipped cream. Because we’d be remiss if we didn’t.

I teamed up with a friend of mine to bring you this epic Mother’s Day treat. Luke from The Chocolate Bar is not only super knowledgeable about ALL things chocolate, he stocks some of the best chocolate from around the world. I used the fabulous Dick Taylor 75% Brazil to create this cake. It is full of sticky fruitiness. The perfect partner for figs. If there’s ever a time to use the really good chocolate to make something it’s now.

To get the chocolate used in this recipe head to The Chocolate Bar. While you’re at it pick up all the delicious things. An extra treat for mum. To make sure it arrives before Mother’s Day order before Tuesday the 8th. For the low-down on making this fabulous cake, read on!

Heat the oven to 180C (350F). Line the base of an 8 inch round pan with baking paper and grease the sides.

Break up the chocolate and dice the butter. Melt in a double boiler over a low heat. When it’s melted take it off the heat to cool a bit.

In the small bowl of a food processor or a bullet style blender pulverise the walnuts and figs to a smoothish paste. There should still be some texture to it.

Stir the paste into the melted chocolate. Mix it well so there are no lumps. Because we have to fold very gently later this is the best way to make sure the walnuts and figs are evenly distributed without having to stir the eggs too much.

Whip the eggs and sugar in high speed until thick and pale.

You must do the next bit by hand. Add the chocolate mixture and the ground almonds to the eggs.

Fold very gently until everything is just combined. Make sure you scoop right under the mix in case there is chocolate stuff hiding there. There always is.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until set in the centre. When you touch it very gently it will not feel liquid under the surface.

Leave the cake in the pan on a wire rack to cool. Turn the cold cake out very gently and transfer to a serving plate. Dust with a little icing sugar, cocoa or finely grated chocolate.If you want to add another layer of decadence try your hand at some candied walnuts.

Measure 50 grams of sugar, a tablespoon of water and a pinch of cream of tartar into a small saucepan. Put the pan over a low heat and watch it melt. Do not stir. The sugar will become liquid and then simmer. When it changes colour to pale gold toss in about half a cup of walnut halves. Toss them quickly with a spoon to coat and then scoop each nut out and lay it on a piece of baking paper to set up.

Serve with whipped cream or mascarpone. Something rich and decadent and pillowy to match the melting darkness of the cake.

Thanks for everything Mum.

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Fig + Walnut Chocolate Truffle Cake


Prep Time : 15 mins | Cook Time : 30 mins | Total Time : 1 hour | Difficulty : Moderate | Makes : one 8 inch cake

Meltingly dark chocolate cake swirled with fig and walnut – the perfect decadent treat for mum.

Ingredients:

  • 3.5 ounces (100 grams) Dick Taylor 75% Brazil chocolate
  • 8 tablespoons (115 grams) unsalted butter
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup (85 grams) brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup (65 grams) walnuts
  • 1/3 cup (65 grams) dried figs (about 5), roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup (50 grams) ground almonds
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

– If using metric cups, reduce volume measures by 1 tablespoon for every cup of dry or liquid ingredients – 

Equipment:

  • Double-boiler/ saucepan and heatproof bowl
  • Standing or hand-held electric mixer
  • 8 inch round cake pan lined on the base and sides with baking paper.

Directions:

Heat the oven to 180C (350F). Line the base of an 8 inch round pan with baking paper and grease the sides.

Break up the chocolate and dice the butter. Melt in a double boiler over a low heat. When it’s melted take it off the heat to cool a bit.

In the small bowl of a food processor or a bullet style blender pulverise the walnuts and figs to a smoothish paste. There should still be some texture to it.

Stir the paste into the melted chocolate. Mix it well so there are no lumps. Because we have to fold very gently later this is the best way to make sure the walnuts and figs are evenly distributed without having to stir the eggs too much.

Whip the eggs and sugar in high speed until thick and pale.

You must do the next bit by hand. Add the chocolate mixture and the ground almonds to the eggs.

Fold very gently until everything is just combined. Make sure you scoop right under the mix in case there is chocolate stuff hiding there. There always is.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until set in the centre. When you touch it very gently it will not feel liquid under the surface.

Leave the cake in the pan on a wire rack to cool. Turn the cold cake out very gently and transfer to a serving plate. Dust with a little icing sugar, cocoa or finely grated chocolate.If you want to add another layer of decadence try your hand at some candied walnuts.

Measure 50 grams of sugar, a tablespoon of water and a pinch of cream of tartar into a small saucepan. Put the pan over a low heat and watch it melt. Do not stir. The sugar will become liquid and then simmer. When it changes colour to pale gold toss in about half a cup of walnut halves. Toss them quickly with a spoon to coat and then scoop each nut out and lay it on a piece of baking paper to set up.

Serve with whipped cream or mascarpone. Something rich and decadent and pillowy to match the melting darkness of the cake.

Thanks for everything Mum.

Cook’s Notes:

  • Please please use the chocolate in the recipe to get the absolute best flavour – if it isn’t available where you are use the best quality 70 to 75% dark chocolate that you can find. No cheap nasty stuff.
  • To make this up as individual servings grease and flour muffin or similar sized moulds and fill the wells 3/4 full. They need a little room to expand while baking but they will settle back close to the original volume. Bake until they are set in the middle as per the recipe, adjusting the time depending on size.
  • Don’t use the much softer “ready to eat” figs as they will add too much moisture – just the regular dried kind.

 – This cake is best the day it is made, but will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days – 

Adapted from World’s Best Cakes by Roger Pizey.

© 2018 Wellington Bakehouse. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe.

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2 thoughts on “Fig + Walnut Chocolate Truffle Cake

  1. Hi I made for a guy at works bday & another for our shared Friday baking . Went down a treat . Thanks for being soooo clever with recipes and sharing them .

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