Chocolate Truffle Cake
(adapted from The River Cafe Cookbook)

This is NOT a cake. It is a confection.

Ingredients:

450-500 gr dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa butter is probably best) broken in bits
900 ml - 1 litre double cream
cocoa powder

Method:

1, Line a cake tin with plastic wrap. The tin needs to be fairly wide and deep (about 25 x 5 cm or 10" x 3"). However, since this cake doesn't bake, you can put the mixture in just about anything.

2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or a bowl over simmering water. You don't want the water to touch the bottom of the bowl. You don't want to do much with the chocolate as it is melting (no stirring).

3. As soon as the chocolate is completely melted take the double boiler top or the bowl off the pan and put it aside.

4. "Whisk the cream in a large bowl until it forms very soft peaks" says the cookbook. The double cream we use is really too thick to be whisked, so we just scoop it out of the container and stir it about in the bowl for a bit.

5. Fold a large spoonful of the cream into the chocolate until you can't see any traces of white, then fold what you have just made into the remaining cream in the bowl. Stir to combine (and eliminated white traces) and pour into the prepared tin.

6. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, then invert onto a plate and dust with cocoa powder.

This amount is supposed to serve 10. We have found that for fewer than 10 it is smart to slice small pieces and discourage seconds. Not only does this mean that there will be more later, it noticeably reduces the amount of Milanta consumed afterwards.