Little nuggets of almonds pack out this dense cake full of wicked chocolate indulgence.

Method: 

• Grease a 22 cm loose-bottomed round tin with butter.
• Preheat oven to 180°C.
• Scatter the almonds on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.
• Finely chop the nuts using a large knife or whizz in a food processor until they are the consistency of demerara sugar.
• Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water or in a microwave, taking care not to burn the chocolate. Leave to cool a little.
• Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy.
• In another bowl, whisk egg whites until they form soft peaks.
• Mix the melted chocolate, butter and egg yolks thoroughly.
• Mix in the chopped almonds.
• Fold in the egg whites using a whisk, spoon or spatula until well combined, then pour into tin.
• Bake for 35–40 minutes. The cake is cooked when it forms a crust on the outside – a skewer inserted into the cake won’t come out clean because the centre remains moist.
• To decorate, place a doily on top and sift over a fine layer of icing sugar, then carefully remove doily.
• Serve at room temperature.

Adapted from The Amalfi Coast by Giancarlo and Katie Caldesi, Hardie Grant, £25