About This Recipe
In the 1960s and early 1970s, my parents, brother and I would come to Walkern every Christmas Day to visit my aunt, uncle and three cousins, who lived in a lovely cottage on the High Street. It was always a wonderful day — especially the food.
My mum and my aunt would disappear into the kitchen, and an amazing Christmas dinner would always appear. The highlight was always the dessert: something we never had at any other time of year. It was very much a dessert of its era, and hardly anyone seems to have heard of it now — not surprising, really, as it definitely comes with a health warning thanks to the alcohol and uncooked eggs!.
I recently found the recipe scribbled on a piece of paper tucked inside my mum’s old cookbook. Here it is — make it at your own peril, and please don’t serve it to children or anyone vulnerable because of the uncooked egg.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cream
- 4 oz dark chocolate
- 2 tablespoons water
- 5 oz caster sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 4 egg whites, beaten stiffly
- 6 oz butter, softened
Sponge Layer
- 18 lady (sponge) fingers
- 4 white sugar lumps
- ¼ cup boiling water
- ¼ cup rum
Method
- Cream the base Beat together the butter, caster sugar, and egg yolks until smooth and pale.
- Melt the chocolate Place the dark chocolate and 2 tablespoons water in a bowl over gently simmering water. Stir until smooth and creamy. Do not allow it to bubble or burn.
- Combine mixtures Add the warm chocolate mixture to the creamed butter, sugar, and egg yolks. Fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites gently.
- Prepare the dipping liquid Crush the sugar lumps and stir them into the rum and water mix.
- Dip the sponge fingers Quickly dip each lady finger into the rum mixture — do not oversoak.
- Assemble Line a 5–6 inch soufflé dish with the dipped sponge fingers. Pour the chocolate mixture into the centre. Cover with the remaining dipped fingers.
- Chill & Serve Refrigerate until firm. Serve chilled with whipped cream.