Polish chocolate & walnut cake

Name: Polish chocolate & walnut cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: CHOCOLATE_SPONGE; 4 eggs, separated; 120g sugar (for chocolate sponge); 100g plain flour; 30g cocoa powder; pinch of salt; WALNUT_MERINGUE; 5 egg whites; 180g sugar (for walnut meringue); 250g walnuts, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon potato starch; CHOCOLATE_GLAZE; 100ml double cream; 100g dark chocolate, finely chopped; ASSEMBLY; handful of reserved walnuts (from total amount)

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Serves 10 536 kcal per serving Prep 30 min Cook 1 h 10 min Passive 1 h

Ingredients

CHOCOLATE_SPONGE
4 eggs, separated
120g sugar (for chocolate sponge)
100g plain flour
30g cocoa powder
pinch of salt
WALNUT_MERINGUE
5 egg whites
180g sugar (for walnut meringue)
250g walnuts, finely chopped
1 tablespoon potato starch
CHOCOLATE_GLAZE
100ml double cream
100g dark chocolate, finely chopped
ASSEMBLY
handful of reserved walnuts (from total amount)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan). Line a rectangular baking tin (about 30 × 22 cm) with baking parchment.
For the chocolate sponge, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Gradually add half of the sugar and continue whisking until stiff.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until pale. Gently fold the yolks into the egg whites.
Mix the flour and cocoa powder together, then carefully fold into the egg mixture using a spatula.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 30–35 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool, then remove from the tin.
Keep the oven at the same temperature and re-line the tin with fresh parchment.
For the walnut meringue, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and whisk until thick and glossy.
Gently fold in the chopped walnuts and potato starch. Spread the mixture evenly in the tin and bake for about 40 minutes, until set and lightly dried. Leave to cool.
To make the chocolate glaze, heat the cream until hot but not boiling. Remove from the heat, add the chopped chocolate and stir until smooth and glossy.
Slice the cooled chocolate sponge horizontally into two layers.
Place the walnut meringue on top of the bottom sponge layer and sprinkle with some of the reserved walnuts.
Top with the second sponge layer. Pour the chocolate glaze over the cake and smooth the surface. Decorate with the remaining walnuts.
Refrigerate the cake for at least 1–2 hours before serving to allow it to set.

Tips

Finely grind the walnuts until they resemble flour; this creates a unique, dense, and moist texture that is characteristic of Polish nut cakes.
Use high-quality dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa for the richest flavor profile.
Separate the eggs and fold the whipped whites into the batter at the end for a lighter, more delicate crumb.

Variations

Coffee Infusion: Add a tablespoon of strong espresso to the chocolate batter to deepen the flavor.
Apricot Layer: Spread a thin layer of apricot jam under the chocolate glaze for a ‘Sacher-style’ twist.