Advocaat and chocolate torte

An impressive boozy torte for special occasions. A three-layer chocolate cake soaked with advocaat, filled with advocaat cream between the layers. The whole cake is covered in an even more indulgent advocaat cream and finished with chocolate crumbs. It’s a truly decadent dessert with a generous amount of alcohol – definitely for adults only.

Ingredients for the chocolate cake:

• 4 large eggs
• 200 ml milk
• 170 ml rapeseed or sunflower oil
• 1.5 cup soft brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 200 g plain flour
• 80 g cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp natural or instant coffee powder
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1¼ tsp baking powder

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Add the eggs, milk, oil, sugar, and vanilla to a large bowl and mix until smooth. Sift the plain flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and coffee powder directly into the mixture. Mix gently with a spatula or balloon whisk, just until combined.

Prepare a 20 cm round baking tin lined with baking paper. Pour the batter into the prepared tin.

Bake at 170°C for about 60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Level the cooled cake with a serrated knife and crumble the trimmed top; set aside. Cut the levelled cake horizontally into three layers.

Ingredients for the advocaat cream:

• 350 ml milk
• 250 ml advocaat liqueur
• 6 egg yolks
• 80 g sugar
• 35 g plain flour
• 35 g cornstarch or potato starch
• 500 g mascarpone, chilled

First, make the advocaat custard. In a saucepan, heat the milk until just boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the advocaat liqueur.

In a mixer bowl, beat the sugar and egg yolks until pale. Sift the flour and cornflour together, then add to the egg mixture and mix until a smooth paste forms. Add the egg mixture to the milk and whisk with a balloon whisk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it comes to the boil. Once boiling, continue whisking for another minute until thickened. Remove from the heat. Pour into a bowl and immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator.

Place the mascarpone in a bowl and beat until smooth. Gradually add the chilled advocaat custard and beat until fully incorporated and creamy.

To finish:

• ½ cup (125 ml) coffee liqueur
• a few squares of dark chocolate

Place the first layer on a serving plate and lightly soak it. Spread evenly with one-third of the advocaat cream. Cover with the second layer, soak, then spread with half of the remaining cream. Top with the final chocolate cake layer and soak again.

Spread the sides and top of the cake with the remaining cream. Press the chocolate crumbs onto the sides of the cake to coat. Sprinkle some grated chocolate over the top. Chill for at least 12 hours.

Store in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!