I make the pastry in advance to rest it overnight in the fridge
Put the flour and cocoa powder, sugar and salt into the mixing bowl, combine well. I just use a whisk for my pastry making as it's easy and prevents shortening.
Add the butter or margarine and using the whisk break it up in the flour until it’s to crumb.
Add the egg and some of the water, mix to a dough paste adding more water where required to form a ball.
Cover your pastry in cling film and leave in the fridge to rest.
The Cake mix. Add the sugar and margarine to a blender and whisk until your mixture turns a very light colour, normally after about 5 minutes.
Whilst they are mixing, weigh out your flour into a separate bowl and add the chocolate chips ensuring they are all covered in flour. This prevents them from all sinking to the bottom of the sponge when cooking. Then to the flour add the cocoa powder and mix in well with a fork.
Going back to your blender, add the eggs to the margarine and sugar, 2 at a time to blend them in (this prevents splitting). Once all the eggs are blended, remove the bowl from the blender and using a large spoon, add the flour and start gently ‘cutting in’ this keeps the air in the cake mix.
Preheat the oven to 150 (gas mark 4)
Roll out the pastry on a flour dusted worktop quite thin to around 3-4mm and lay it into a baking tray lined with parchment/greaseproof paper. Trim the edges and pop it in the oven for about 5-6 minutes. This is known as ‘Blind Baking’ it ensures your pastry cooks thoroughly later. You’ll notice it is par-cooked. Allow to cool. Turn your oven up now to 160 Gas 5/6.
Now add your sponge mix to your cooled pastry and spread evenly.
Place your tray into the oven, here’s a few cooking tips. After 8-10 minutes turn your tray around and lay a loose sheet of foil to cover the top of the cake and leave it for a further 5-8 minutes. Now check to feel if the sponge is feeling firm. The foil prevents over cooking, burning and drying out. It also reflects the heat back into the sponge, reducing cooking time.
Tip. It’s always good to keep your sponge moist, here’s a trick I always use. Cover a chopping board with cling film. When you remove the tray from the oven, lay the board on top of the cake then flip upside down, remove the tray and allow to rest to cool. The heat with the film puts moisture back into the sponge, it will also give you a perfectly flat top for decorating.
The (optional) Ganache topping can now be made by melting the chocolate and adding the cream but, you can use supermarket chocolate spread or Nutella equivalent.
Now using the baking tray on top of your pastry, flip the tray around and remove the chopping board to reveal your smooth top to decorate. I do like straight edges and uniform decorating because it adds to presentation but it is not necessary.
Decorate your top as you please, slice and serve. You have a very moist chocolate cake, as ever, enjoy.
