It’s Easter so it just has to be chocolate for this week’s post! This simple ‘no bake’ biscuit cake recipe is one I have adapted from a Darina Allen’s cookbook ‘Easy Entertaining’ – the cake can be made in a loaf tin or in a circular loose-bottomed cake tin like my one in the picture. The ‘cake’ is quite rich and a small slice of it is delicious with a cup of tea or coffee. I had great fun as decorating it, the only problem now is having to wait until tomorrow to eat it!

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

2 tablespoons raisins, soaked in boiling water
225g (8 ozs) dark chocolate (60/70% cocoa solids)
225g (8 ozs) butter preferably unsalted
225g (8 ozs) plain biscuits, broken into pieces
1 dessertspoon castor sugar
2 eggs, preferably free range
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Decoration

50g dark chocolate

8 inch / 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin, lined with cling film

• Melt the chocolate in a bowl over hot water.
• Whisk the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy,
• Melt the butter and whisk into the egg and sugar mixture while it is still hot – the mixture should thicken slightly.
• Add in the melted chocolate, drained raisins and vanilla essence and finally the broken biscuits and mix well.
• Press the mixture into the lined tin.
• Allow to set in a cold place until firm enough to cut.

To decorate

• Melt the chocolate over a bowl of hot water and spread lightly over the cake
• Decorate as you wish – chopped nuts, smarties, jellies …… have fun!
• Serve in (small!) slices.

Note: You can also make this in a loaf tin 5 x 8 inch (12.5 x 20.5cm) – top the mixture with chopped nuts before you leave it to cool.