Caramel mud cake with figs, hazelnut and toffee

Method

1. Preheat oven to 150 degrees C fan-forced (170 degrees C conventional). Grease two 20cm round cake tins with butter and line bases and sides with baking powder. 

2. Combine chocolate, sugar and extra butter in a large saucepan and stir over low heat until chocolate has melted. Pour in condensed milk and liqueur and cook, stirring constantly, for a further 2 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to a large bowl and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

3. Add eggs to cooled mixture and whisk until combined. Sift in flours, then stir with a hand whisk until just combined. 

4. Divide batter evenly between prepared tins. Bake for 1 hour 50 minutes, or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool cakes in tins for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

5. Trim the top of the cooled cakes to level, then slice each cake in half horizontally using a serrated knife or cake leveller.

6. To assemble the cake, put the base piece of one cake on a serving plate, cut side up. Spoon ¼ of the cream on top, then continue layering with cake and cream, ensuring the last layer of cake is the remaining base piece of cake, cut side down, and finishing with a layer of cream. 

7. Drizzle with caramel sauce, and arrange figs, blackberries, meringues, hazelnuts and shards on top. Decorate with leaves. Serve.

8. CARAMEL SAUCE

   To make a thick caramel sauce, combine 1 cup caster sugar and 125ml water in a medium saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil. Boil, without stirring, for 8 minutes or until mixture turns rich golden. Remove from heat and immediately stir in 125ml thickened cream. Return to heat, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Set aside for 5 minutes, transfer to a heatproof bowl and chill for 1 hour or until cooled to desired consistency. Makes 1 cup.

9. CHOCOLATE TOFFEE SHARDS

   Step 1

   Combine ½ cup caster sugar and 60ml water in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until light amber in colour. Remove from heat and add 50g finely chopped dark chocolate, stirring until melted. 

   Step 2

   Using a heatproof teaspoon, put a spoonful of mixture on a piece of non-stick baking paper and drag it to form a brush-stroke teardrop shape. Repeat to make 12 decorative shards. Set aside for 5 minutes or until set rock hard.

   Andre Martin