Chocolate Spiral Cake
You can make this cake 2 days ahead (serves 8-10)
3/4 cup (110g) plain flour
1 tablespoon icing sugar
50g butter/margarine
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon water, approximately
4 eggs, separated
3/4 cup (165g) caster sugar
150g dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup (60ml) brandy
1/4 cup (35g) plain flour
2 x 300ml cartons thickened cream
Extra 1 1/2 tablespoons caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1. Cover base of springform pan (base measures 20cm) with plastic and lightly grease 26cm x 32cm Swiss roll pan, cover base and 2 opposite sides with non-stick baking paper. Combine flour and sugar in bowl, rub in butter. Stir in yolk and water to make a dough. knead until smooth. Cover, refrigerate 15 mins. Roll pastry into a round slightly larger that base of springform pan. Place on greased oven tray, bake in moderate oven 12 mins or until lightly browned, stand on tray 5 mins before placing on wire rack to cool.
2. Beat egg yolks and sugar in medium bowl with electric mixer until thick, transfer to large bowl. Combine chocolate and brandy in small bowl, stir over pan of simmering water (or microwave) stir until smooth. (If lumpy, press through strainer.) Fold chocolate mixture and flour into egg mixture. Beat egg whites until stiff, fold into chocolate mixture, spread into Swiss roll pan. Bake in moderate oven 12-15 mins until just cooked. Cover cake with tea-towel and allow to cool in pan. Remove cake from pan and discard lining paper.
3. Beat cream, extra sugar and essence until firm peaks form. Spread half the cream over cake. Cut lengthways into 5 strips. Place shortbread round into base of pan (trim if needed). Make centre of spiral using 1 strip of cake as shown. Cake will crack but can be moulded together. Continue wrapping cream covered cake strips in spirals. Ease cake ring over cake, secure, cover, refrigerate several hours. Remove ring and base, slide cake onto serving plate. Spread with remaining cream and decorate with chocolate curls and strawberries.