A perfect little cake packed with cinnamon and chocolate
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 6
15g fennel seeds
5g star anise
5g cloves
10g cinnamon powder
5 eggs
140g caster sugar
150g plain flour
1tbsp vanilla sugar
55g butter, softened
250g dark chocolate
250ml double cream
100ml whole milk
250g desiccated coconut
1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4. Pound the fennel seeds, star anise and cloves in a mortar and pestle. Pass through a fine sieve and add the cinnamon. This amount of spices is enough to make three batches. Set aside 1 tbsp for now and store the rest for future.
2. Heat a bowl over a saucepan of water. Add the eggs and sugar and beat together until thick and smooth. Add the flour, vanilla sugar, spices and 45g of the softened butter. Grease two square 20cm cake tins and dust over a little flour. Pour in the mixture and bake in the centre of the oven for 20-25 minutes.
3. Once cooked, remove from the tins and allow to cool. Cut into 3cm cubes.
4. Break up the chocolate and melt over a pan of gently simmering water with the cream, milk and the remaining butter. Coat each cube with the melted chocolate and then the desiccated coconut.
