Whisky chocolate cake

Method
Prep:30min  ›  Cook:20min  ›  Extra time:2hr10min  ›  Ready in:3hr 

1. Preheat oven to 190 C / Gas 5. In a small bowl, combine raisins and whisky and set aside. Cut a round of parchment the size of the bottom of a 23cm springform cake tin. Butter the sides of the tin and one side of the parchment. Then lay the parchment, butter side up, in the tin and dust thoroughly with flour.
2. Place 200g chocolate in the top of a double boiler with 3 tablespoons of water. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in 125g butter in small pieces. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture is a pale creamy yellow. Combine with the chocolate mixture. In a small bowl, combine the flour and the ground almonds and add to the batter. Stir in the raisins and whisky.
3. In a clean large bowl, whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they are stiff but not dry. Stir a 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold all back into the remaining egg whites. Spoon the cake mixture into the tin.
4. Bake at 190 C / Gas 5 for 20 minutes. The outside should be firm, but the centre should remain moist. Let the cake sit for 10 minutes in the tin, then unmould it on a cake rack and let it cool for a few hours or overnight. Peel off the parchment before icing it.
5. To make the icing: Melt 80g chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Stir in the icing sugar and then 3 tablespoons butter a little at a time. Blend well and spread immediately on the cake. Allow icing to set for about half an hour before serving the cake.