Rich chocolate and coffee cake

Directions

1. FOR THE BONBONS:
2. Make the chocolate bonbons, ideally the night before.
3. Over a slow heat, put the chopped chocolate into a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water and melt gently. Then, spoon carefully the chocolate mixture into the hearts shaped silicon mould and let it cool overnight in the fridge.
4. FOR THE CAKE:
5. Grease and line the base of a 18 cm / 7 in springform cake with baking paper.
6. Heat the oven to 180 C. In a large saucepan over a low heat, met the butter, chocolate and coffee. Stir in the ground almonds, then cook for 5 minutes.
7. Using an electric mixer, whisk the egg yolks and muscovado sugar for 5 minutes or until mixture is creamy. Then, pour in the chocolate mixture and rum and combine well.
8. In a very clean bowl and using an electric mixer with clean beaters (this is very important), whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
9. Pour in the batter into the cake tin and bake on the middle shelf for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean. The cake will rise almost two times its height.
10. Leave the cake to cook in the tin for 15 minutes, then carefully take out of the baking tin to cool completely.
11. FOR THE GANACHE:
12. Over a low heat, put the chopped chocolate into a bowl set over a pan of simmering water (just half cup of water is enough) and melt gently.
13. Once chocolate is melted, removed from the heat, let it cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the mascarpone and mix slowly until it form a thick texture. Cover with cling film touching the surface and set aside to cool for about 5 minutes. Don’t allow the ganache to cool completely so that you can spread it and stick the nuts to the cake.
14. While, wash and cut in half the strawberries. Let them dry. Take the bonbons out from the fridge.
15. Using an offset spatula, spread the ganache all over the cake.
16. Then, press carefully handfuls of chopped nuts onto the sides (just half height). Use a piece of wax paper to press the nuts into the ganache.
17. Top with the strawberries and arrange the bonbons (and rose petals) as you desire.