Easy chocolate brownie cake

• unsalted butter↗175g 175g

  plus extra for greasing

• dark chocolate↗225g 225g

  broken into pieces

• caster sugar↗200g 200g
• medium eggs↗3 3

  separated

• plain flour↗65g 65g
• chopped pecan↗50g 50g

  nuts

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter a 20-25cm cake tin and line with greaseproof paper.

2. 2

   Place 175g/6oz of the chocolate, plus the butter and sugar in a heavy-based pan and heat gently until melted, stirring occasionally. Leave to cool.

3. 3

   Whisk the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture, then add the flour, nuts and the remaining chocolate.

4. 4

   Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks, then gently, but thoroughly, fold into the chocolate mixture.

5. 5

   Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the centre of the oven for about 35-40 mins until crusty on top. Leave to cool, then run a knife around the sides and remove from the tin. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm with custard or ice cream or cold with cream.