Chocolate cake with passion fruit

CRUST INSTRUCTIONS

• 1
  Preheat the oven to 160 °C (fan-assisted) and line a 20 cm diameter pie dish with baking paper - press the bottom in and stick strips of baking paper to the sides with a little butter.
• 2
  Melt the chocolate and oil in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. The chocolate will melt and combine with the oil. Let it cool slightly.
• 3
  In one bowl, mix together the flour, almonds, cocoa, baking powder, soda, and salt.
• 4
  Separate the egg whites from the yolks and whisk half of the sugar with the yolks in a large bowl (you will then add other ingredients to them) and the other half with the egg whites (until a firm, glossy meringue forms).
• 5
  Whisk the butter into the egg yolk mixture, stir in the cooled chocolate with oil, and gradually fold in the flour mixture and yogurt. Finally, gently fold in the meringue with a spatula.
• 6
  Bake in the preheated oven for 45 – 50 minutes (check for doneness with a skewer). Let the baked crust cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert it onto a wire rack and let it cool completely. Ideally, wrap the cooled crust in cling film overnight and refrigerate.

CREAM INSTRUCTIONS

• 1
  Melt the chocolate in the microwave (ideally in a plastic bowl, in several bursts of max. 20 seconds, stirring the chocolate after each) or over a bain-marie.
• 2
  Mix the remaining ingredients (except for the 40% whipping cream, which you will need the next day) in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour through a sieve (to separate the seeds and pulp from the passion fruit) over the chocolate, let stand for a minute, then stir until smooth. Cover with cling film or place in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight to chill.
• 3
  Collect the pulp from the sieve into an airtight container and also refrigerate (save for decorating the cake).
• 4
  The next day, pour the 40% whipping cream over the chilled base and lightly and briefly whisk together on the lowest setting just until combined and slightly thickened. Be careful not to over-whisk.

FRUIT JELLY INSTRUCTIONS

• 1
  Cook the fruit with sugar in a saucepan. Soak the gelatin in cold water. Once softened, squeeze it out and stir into the warm fruit until dissolved. Refrigerate until completely chilled.

CAKE ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

• 1
  Slice the crust once and spread the fruit jelly with a spoon over the entire surface of the bottom layer. Cover with the top layer, then spread the whipped cream over it and decorate with passion fruit pulp.