Chocolate Slices

Chocolate Slices

Ingredients:

* 50 gr unsalted butter
* 50 gr caster sugar
* 40 gr cocoa powder
* 1 large egg, beaten
* 150 gr digestive biscuits, crushed into 1-cm pieces
* 100 gr pecan halves, reserving 6 for the garnish
* 75 g shelled unsalted pistachio nuts
* 75 gr ready-to-eat dried apricots, cut into 5-mm slices

= 450 gr loaf tin, greased with vegetable oil and lined with baking parchment

For the chocolate icing:
* 75 gr deluxe Belgian continental dark chocolate (broken into pieces)
* 40 gr unsalted butter, cubed

Way to make it:

1. Melt the butter over a low heat in a small pan, then add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Continue cooking over this low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring all the time, until the mixture starts to bubble. Add the cocoa, beating in with a wooden spoon until smooth, then remove the mixture from the heat and allow to cool.

2. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, add he beaten egg, crushed biscuits, pecans (remembering to reserve 6 for the garnish), pistachios and the apricots, and mix thoroughly. Spoon this mixture evenly into the prepared tin and press firmly. Cover with clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 2 hours.

3. After the mixture has chilled, make the chocolate icing. Fill a saucepan with sufficient water so that a heatproof bowl placed in it sits (5mm) into the water. Remove the bowl and bring the water to a simmer, then remove the pan from the heat and replace the bowl, now containing the chocolate. The chocolate will take 6-7 minutes to melt completely, just give it a stir once or twice during this time. Stir in the cubed butter, then mix until smooth. Now cool the mixture sufficiently so that when you draw a palette knie through it, it retains its shape.

4. Take the 6 reserved pecan halves and dip half of each nut in chocolate icing. Put on a plate lined with a piece of baking parchment and put aside to set.

5. Turn the cake out on to a plate, then remove the baking parchment. Spoon the chocolate icing over and, using a palette knife, spread it to the edges. Leave the icing for 10 minutes, then arrange the chocolate dipped pecans on top so that when you come to cut the cake, each slice will have its own decoration. Put it in a cool place to set for at least 1 hour or leave overnight.
Cut into 6 slices.