Flourless chocolate cake

Preheat the oven to 160c (fan)/180c (gas)/gas mark 4 and butter a 20cm cake tim 9cm deeo with a removable base.

Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl set over apan with a little simmering water in it, stir occasionally. At the same time, whisk the egg yolks with half of the sugar until pale and doubled in volume. This should only take a couple of minutes and can be done in a food processor.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then gradually whisk in the remaining sugar, a tablespoon at a time, whisking for about 20 seconds with each addition, until mixture is stiff and glossy.

Fold the chocolate and butter into the egg mixture, then the egg whites in two goes. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 50-60 mins of until a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs. Run a knife around the edge and leave to cool in the tin.

At this point the cake will sink and become craggy which is what makes it so charming. Melt the chocolate for the glaze with the brandy and 1tbsp of water over a simmering pan. Remove the cake collar and place the cake on a board. Trickle the icing over the top and the edges leaving it looking deliciously messy. Pour some maltesers into the middle and leave to cool.