Line the base of a 20cm round springform cake tin. Grease the sides with butter or cooking oil.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

In a small saucepan (microwave safe container) over a very low heat, melt chocolate and butter.

Once the butter is mostly melted add the sugar and mix well. Don’t let the mixture simmer or boil. So be patient.

Turn off the heat and add the almond or hazelnut meal, coffee and liqueur and mix well to combine. Set aside to cool.

Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the egg whites until they are stiff peaks.

Once the chocolate mixture has cooled, mix in the egg yolks with a balloon whisk.

Then fold in the whites using a spatula or metal serving spoon. Add a tablespoon of the egg whites to the chocolate mixture at first and stir this through fairly vigorously to lighten the chocolate mix. Then add another large spoonful of the egg whites and fold through the chocolate mixture using a light touch. Continue adding large spoonfuls of the egg whites, folding it through until all the egg whites have been incorporated.

Pour into the lined cake tin and bake for 40-50 minutes. A crust will form on top of the mixture and may crack. Also the cake will rise and when you remove it from the oven and it cools, the middle will sink a little. This is normal.

Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to stand until it’s completely cool. 

I like to serve mine with double cream and some fresh fruit. The cake is intensely chocolatey and not overly sweet so some fresh fruit works perfectly.