Ingredients:
Dough:
225 g flour (+ extra for dusting)
2 tbs cocoa
150 g cold butter, cut into pieces
2 tbs fine granulated sugar
1-2 tbs cold water
Filling:
175 g butter in pieces
350 g brown caster sugar
4 eggs
25 g cocoa
150 gr dark chocolate (72% or more)
300 ml cooking cream
1 tsp chocolate essence (if you don’t have this, you can just leave it out)
Topping:
400 ml whipped cream
Sugar
Chocolate curls or pomegranate (also really delicious)
Preparation:
Sift the flour and cocoa into the bowl of the food processor. Add the cold cubed butter. Blend until the dough resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Transfer it to the mixer. Mix in the sugar and enough cold water to make a light dough. Not too much water, so start with 1 Tbs and see if more is needed to form a cohesive dough.
Roll this in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes until it is nice and cold.
Preheat the oven to 170°C (convection).
Roll out the dough on a floured surface until it is large enough to line a 23 cm baking tin (preferably with a loose bottom). Cover the dough with baking paper and baking beans. Bake the mold for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove it from the oven, remove the baking beans and baking paper and bake it for another 10 minutes.
Melt the dark chocolate and add the cooking cream and the chocolate essence (be careful not to melt it together).
Beat the butter and sugar well in the mixer. Beat in the eggs one by one. Mix the cocoa well again. Add the chocolate and mix well.
Reduce the oven temperature to 140°C (hot air). Pour the mixture onto the pastry base (be careful not to overflow) and bake the pie for 45 minutes or until the filling feels firm.
Let the cake cool completely.
Beat the whipped cream (I often beat it with whipping fix so that it remains firm) with sugar to taste. Cover the cold cake with the whipped cream. Garnish it with chocolate curls or pomegranate (looks nice and is just a little fresher than more chocolate).
Place in the refrigerator until use.
Enjoy your meal.
