In memoriam
There was a beautiful memorial for Pete in January 2020, Bristol funky-style with meaningful words and amazing live music. Everyone bought a dish.
Afterwards, someone posted on the shared Whatsapp:
“Can anyone help with a recipe? My friend with me said she had some chocolate cake that was amazing “possibly flourless with a figgy dense filling. The choc was bitter sweet”. Could we have the recipe?”
That describes it exactly: flourless, figgy, sense.
I have been meaning to post the recipe and pics ever since.
Image: Elisabeth Winkler 2020
Jamie Oliver raw chocolate cake – my simplified version
Raw cakes are great but you need electrical kitchen tools such as a food processor.
Base
- 60g organic cacao butter
- 150g hazelnuts or any nuts to hand
- 3 Tablespoons cacao powder
- 1½ Tablespoons honey
Filling
- 300g pecan nuts
- 150g dates (de-stoned)
- 150g dried figs
- 3 Tablespoons honey
- 5 Tablespoons cacao powder (see note)
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract.
Icing
- 200g coconut oil
- 120g cacao powder
- 2 teaspoons organic dark agave nectar or honey.
Instructions
- Line a 20cm springform cake tin with greaseproof paper.
- To make the base, shave the cacao butter very finely into a small bowl, then place in a large bowl of hot water and allow to melt (it melts at about 34ºC, so is still considered raw).
- Base (cont.): Blitz the hazelnuts in a food processor or nut grinder until fine, combine with the other base ingredients and press into the tin. Chill while you make the filling.
- Filling: Blitz the pecan nuts until fine, then add the remaining ingredients (remember to de-stone the dates) and blitz until everything comes together. Press into the tin and chill for at least 3 hours.
- Combine the icing ingredients and chill for about 20 minutes to set a little, stirring once or twice.
- Run a round-bladed knife around the edge of the cake and remove from the tin.
- Spread the icing on the cake with a palette knife.
This image is not mine! It is Jamie Oliver’s. Thank you, Jamie! I once interviewed him in 2008 and I rate him.
Pete is much-missed. May his soul rest in peace.
