Chocolate Nemesis – revered recipe from the River Cafe

The Chocolate Nemesis is the River Cafe’s most popular dessert – famously devine, famously difficult. In tribute to the late Rose Gray, here is the recipe, good luck and enjoy.

The River Café’s chocolate nemesis (serves 10-12)

675g dark chocolate 70%, broken into small pieces
450g unsalted butter, softened
10 whole eggs
675g caster sugar

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees. Line a 30 x 5 cm cake tin with greaseproof paper, then grease and flour it.

Beat together the eggs with a third of the sugar with an electric mixer for 5-10 minutes until they’ve quadrupled in volume.

Heat the remaining sugar in a small pan with 250ml water until the sugar completely dissolves into a syrup. Place the chocolate and butter in the hot syrup and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Add the warm syrup to the eggs and continue to beat, gently, for around 20 secs until combined. Pour into the cake tin and place in a roasting tin. It is essential, if the cake is to cook evenly, that the water comes to the rim of the tin.

Cook in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until set. Test by placing the flat of your hand gently on the surface. Serve with crème fraiche and raspberries.