Easter mud cake with handmade praline eggs And toffee nest

Ingredients

1. 200g butter, chopped
2. 150g dark cooking chocolate, chopped
3. 60ml (1/4 cup) water
4. 215g (1 cup) caster sugar
5. 85g (1/3 cup) sour cream
6. 3 eggs, lightly whisked
7. 115g (3/4 cup) self-raising flour
8. 30g (1/4 cup) cocoa powder
9. Easter eggs
10. 200g dark cooking chocolate, chopped
11. 185ml (3/4 cup) thickened cream
12. 25g (1/4 cup) flaked almonds
13. 2 tbsp water
14. 100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
15. 150g dark choc melts
16. Chocolate ganache
17. 200g dark cooking chocolate, chopped
18. 125g (1/2 cup) thickened cream
19. Spun toffee
20. 100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar

Description

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 160C/140C fan forced. Grease a 7cm-deep, 18cm (base measurement) round cake pan and line with baking paper.

• Step 2

  Stir the butter, chocolate and water in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar and sour cream. Whisk in egg, flour and cocoa powder. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool slightly. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

• Step 3

  For the Easter eggs, stir the chocolate and thickened cream in a small saucepan over low heat for 2-3 minutes or until melted and well combined. Pour into a heatproof bowl and set aside, stirring occasionally, for 3 hours or until thickened slightly and a soft spreadable consistency.

• Step 4

  Meanwhile, for the praline, line a baking tray with baking paper. Spread the almonds over the tray. Stir water and sugar in a saucepan over low heat for 3 minutes or until the sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high. Bring to boil. Cook, brushing down the side of pan with a wet pastry brush for 3-5 minutes or until golden. Pour over almonds. Set aside for 5 minutes to set. Break into shards and place in a food processor. Process until roughly crushed. Transfer to an airtight container.

• Step 5

  Melt the choc melts in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes or until smooth. Use a small pastry brush or paintbrush to paint eight 20ml egg moulds with a layer of chocolate. Set aside for 5 minutes to set. Repeat to brush the moulds again with chocolate. Reserve remaining chocolate.

• Step 6

  Reserve 1 tbs of the praline and set aside. Add the remaining praline to the chocolate cream mixture and stir to combine. Spoon half the chocolate praline into the centres of the Easter egg moulds. Use a palette knife to run across the tops of the moulds to flatten the surface as much as possible. Place in the fridge for 2 hours to set.

• Step 7

  Use a large serrated knife to trim the top of the cake. Cut cake in half horizontally. Place the top half, trimmed side down, on a wire rack over a baking tray. Spoon remaining chocolate praline over the cake. Top with remaining cake layer. Place in the fridge for 2 hours to chill.

• Step 8

  Reheat the reserved choc melts over a saucepan of simmering water. Carefully remove egg halves from the moulds. Spread a little melted chocolate over the flat surface of 1 half egg. Sandwich with another half egg to seal (fill any holes between the seal with a small paintbrush coated in chocolate). Set aside on a tray for 10 minutes to set.

• Step 9

  To make the chocolate ganache, stir the chocolate and thickened cream in a small saucepan over low heat for 3-4 minutes or until mixture is melted and smooth. Set aside for 15 minutes to thicken slightly.

• Step 10

  Pour the chocolate ganache over the cake. Smooth the top and sides with a palette knife, allowing any excess ganache to drip off the cake. Transfer the cake to a serving plate.

• Step 11

  To make the spun toffee, heat the sugar in a frying pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown. Dip 2 forks into the toffee. Press the backs of the forks together and hold for 30 seconds. Quickly pull the forks apart to make thin strands. Carefully remove the strands from the forks and place on a piece of baking paper. Repeat about 6 times to make more strands. Reheat toffee over a low heat for 30 seconds to soften slightly if it becomes too hard. Combine and shape strands to make a nest.

• Step 12

  Decorate the cake with the spun toffee nest and sprinkle with reserved praline. Top with the Easter eggs.