Honey Chocolate Cake

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CAKE LAYERS

• 1
  Heat butter, sugar, and honey on a low heat for 2 minutes or until melted over a water bath (the bowl must not touch the water surface).
• 2
  Once the ingredients are well combined, whisk in the eggs continuously with a hand whisk.
• 3
  Remove from heat and gradually mix in the flour combined with cocoa and baking soda (first mix with a whisk, and once the mixture thickens so much that it can no longer be mixed, transfer the dough to a work surface and knead the dough until smooth with your hands).
• 4
  Prepare baking paper and baking sheets. Preheat the oven to 180˚C (top – bottom heat).
• 5
  Take portions of dough weighing approximately 140 g, roll each into a flat disc, from which you will cut out circles with a diameter of 18 cm using a knife (use the bottom of a cake pan of this diameter, or cut out a paper template). Combine the trimmings with the rest of the dough and reuse.
• 6
  Note that an amount roughly equivalent to one disc will be needed for decoration – for fine crumbs for the sides of the cake (so you can bake part of it without cutting it into a circle), or for cookies on the cake (as in the picture) – these then need to be cut out and baked separately.
• 7
  Prick each disc generously with a fork (the dough will remain flat and will not puff up).
• 8
  Bake each disc for 5 minutes, one by one.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PLUM JAM LAYER

• 1
  Dry roast the nuts in a pan and chop them coarsely.
• 2
  Mix the plum jam with rum.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CHOCOLATE CREAM

• 1
  Take the butter out of the fridge approximately 1 hour before making the cream. Do not leave it out longer, as this gives it the ideal temperature and texture. It will soften further during mixing.
• 2
  Start by melting the chocolate. You must add it to the cream base cooled to room temperature (both the cream and chocolate should be roughly the same temperature to combine properly). Melt the chocolate in a microwave or over a water bath (making sure the bowl does not touch the water surface) and set aside to cool to room temperature.
• 3
  Whip the softened butter at medium speed until it reaches a creamy, smooth consistency (it will lighten beautifully). This takes about 5 minutes with a hand mixer.
• 4
  Lightly mix in the cocoa and pour the condensed milk into the mixture. Whisk again until everything is combined (approx. 1 minute).
• 5
  Fold in the melted chocolate with a spatula.

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

• 1
  Finely chop one disc or a portion of the designated dough in a chopper or blender.
• 2
  Alternately spread the discs with chocolate cream and plum jam, topping the jam with nuts, so that the plum jam layer ends up on the second to last disc. Spread chocolate cream on the last disc (on top of the cake). Also cover the sides of the cake with chocolate cream.
   
• 3
  You can place the created cookies on top, which you have previously lightly spread with plum jam and rum and coated in crumbs.