Here’s a lovely, rich and decadent cake or dessert that requires no baking. It has no gluten, no nuts and no calories…. well, to quote Meatloaf, “two out of three ain’t bad.”

Serves: 12 slices

Time: About an hour then overnight in the fridge

Level: Easy

Need: 20cm/8” round tin – spring form or loose bottomed. A large cake lifter will be very useful too and some cling film.

Ingredients

300g/10oz dark chocolate
40ml/1½fl oz golden syrup
20g/¾fl oz instant coffee powder dissolved in a little warm milk or spare cream
725ml/25fl oz double cream
A small amount of raspberry flavouring (optional)
125g/4½oz raspberries

* These amounts are generous and will fill most 20cm tins to the brim; they may even be enough for a less deep 23cm version. Feel free to reduce the amounts proportionately if you want. As it’s a non-baked torte there’s plenty of leeway.

Method

1. Melt the chocolate with the golden syrup and 180ml cream. Stir in the coffee. Leave to cool

2. Line the tin with cling film, smoothing out as many wrinkles as possible. (Leave some hanging over to use later for lifting the torte)

3. In a large bowl, whisk the remaining cream until it holds its shape. Stir in the raspberry flavouring (if using).

4. Fold in the cooled melted chocolate using a large metal spoon. Stir in 75g raspberry halves then pour the mixture into the tin and dot with the remaining raspberries.

5. Chill in the fridge overnight.

6. Remove from the tin. Slide the cake lifter (or two palette knives) between the bottom of the torte and the cling film then slide the torte onto a serving plate.

7. Dust with icing sugar before serving. (It’s very easy to cut, but a warm knife makes a neater cut.)

I hope you enjoy this lovely torte. If you want more cake recipes click this link, or have a look at my site for lots of other great recipes, both sweet and savoury.

Below are three chocolate treats that I’d love you to try:

Chocolate and Orange Marbled Ring Cake