Chocolate and olive oil: A curious but beautiful combination

Chocolate and olive oil might seem a curious combination, but it is in fact a beautiful match, and one that is quite common in Mediterranean cuisines. I remember first reading about chocolate and olive oil in The Family Meal, a cookbook by Ferran Adrià of Spain’s El Bulli restaurant. The book is a compilation of menus eaten by the restaurant staff before each service, and champions simple and affordable produce local to the restaurant in Catalonia.

One dish that stuck out to me was a dessert comprised of bread, chocolate, olive oil and sea salt, a common sweet eaten in the region; hardly a dessert I thought, but essentially chocolate on toast. While deceptively simple, it made sense. I tried it and it did not disappoint. It was nostalgic but grown up at the same time and full of texture. It then occurred to me that the olive oil and sea salt not only add layers of flavour to a dessert, but also enhance the flavour of the chocolate.

I have tried and tested chocolate and olive oil cakes many times, but I always seem to revert to this recipe. It is fudgy in texture, like a luscious torte, and is made with only a handful of ingredients. It happens to be gluten free too, so a good one to bake for coeliacs.

The egg whites here are the raising agent, so take your time whisking and folding to ensure they are shiny, aerated and incorporated properly. I’m using dark chocolate with 70 per cent cocoa solids which is gorgeously bitter and rich, but you can use anywhere from 60 per cent upwards. I also use extra-virgin olive oil, and go for a fruity one rather than anything too grassy.

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I bake most of my cakes in a 20cm, round, loose-bottomed tin, including this one, and while it isn’t very high, it is perfectly substantial and will serve eight to 10 people as you only need a little sliver. Once the cake is baked it will sink in the middle, forming beautiful crispy cracks; don’t worry, this is normal. All it needs is a dusting of cocoa powder or icing sugar, a little extra sprinkle of sea salt, and a spoon of crème fraiche on the side to serve.

Recipe: Chocolate and olive oil cake