Chocolate Fudge Cake and Strawberries

This is a rich and luscious but not too sweet dessert.  I serve it in small wedges, with strawberries and gelato alongside. Perfect for the dinner party I am planning for tomorrow evening as it will easily serve 10 or 12. It's flourless which any gluten free guests will appreciate.

Chocolate Fudge Cake with Strawberries.


Ingredients:

500 gm of dark chocolate
250 gm of unsalted butter
1 tspn of vanilla essence
6 eggs separated
6 tbsp of castor sugar

Method:

Chop chocolate and butter and place in a glass bowl over simmering water. When melted, stir in the vanilla and remove from the heat.
Stir egg yolks into the chocolate mix and set aside.
Beat eggwhites in a clean bowl until they form stiff peaks. Beat in sugar 1 tbsp at a time until you have a firm meringue mix.
Take two to three large spoonfuls of the meringue mixture and stir into the chocolate mixture.Then gradually fold the chocolate mixture into the meringue.
Pour into a greased and lined 23 cm  spring form cake tin and bake at 180 degrees C for 45 minutes.
Remove from oven and stand for 15 minutes. Turn the cake upside down and remove the outer tin, leaving the base of the tin attached to the top of the cake.
Place a weight (for example a couple of  plates) on the top and leave for two to four hours.
Remove the weight and base and cut into small wedges. Serve with fresh strawberries and gelato.