Swiss chocolate torte

2. In small non-stick saucepan over very low heat, heat pieces of chocolate, stirring often, until melted and smooth. Remove saucepan from heat.

3. In medium bowl, with electric mixer on full speed, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.

4. Preheat oven to 180C/350F/ gas 4.

5. In large bowl, using electric mixer, beat egg yolks, 250g/9 oz sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.

6. Add melted chocolate, flour, soured cream, orange-flower water, and 250ml/8 fl oz water; beat until well mixed, constantly scraping bowl. Beat for a further 2 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl.

7. With rubber spatula or wire whisk, gently fold beaten egg whites into chocolate mixture.

8. Spoon mixture into tin, spreading evenly. Bake for 45 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched with finger. Cool cake in tin on wire rack for 10 minutes.

9. With palette knife, loosen cake from edge of tin; carefully remove side of tin, leaving cake on tin base. Cool completely on wire rack.

10. Meanwhile, break chocolate flavour cake covering into pieces; place in small bowl over saucepan of gently simmering water. Heat chocolate flavour cake covering gently, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth; use to make Chocolate Curls (see below).

11. Prepare chocolate cream.

12. Remove cake from tin base. With serrated knife, cut cake horizontally into 2 layers. Place 1 cake layer on cake plate; spread with one-third of the chocolate cream. Top with second cake layer.

13. Spread remaining chocolate cream over top and side of cake. Carefully press chocolate curls on to side of cake.

14. In small bowl, whip double or whipping cream with remaining sugar until stuff peaks form. Spoon whipped cream into piping bag with large star tube; use to pipe border and lattice design on top of cake. Decorate with crystallised violets.

Chocolate curls

In a foil-lined 15 x 8cm/ 6 x 3 1/4 inch loaf tin, pour melted chocolate flavour cake covering. Cool, then refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. Unmould the chocolate block by removing chocolate block from tin; carefully peel off foil.

Grate chocolate curls using coarse side of grater, grate along 1 side of chocolate block to make long, thin curls (if chocolate appears too brittle to curl, leave to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to soften slightly).

Chocolate Cream

In non-stick saucepan over medium heat, bring 350ml/ 12 fl oz double or whipping cream, 225g/8 oz plain chocolate, broken into pieces, and 60g/2 oz butter to the boil, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth. Pour mixture into large bowl; leave to cool completely at room temperature. With electric mixer, beat chocolate mixture until light and fluffy.