Vanilla and White Chocolate Magic Cake

It’s that time of year again when we are encouraged by the Fairtrade Foundation to think about using some of the 4,500 Fairtrade products that are available, thus supporting the many, many farmers and workers across the world who grow the product or ingredient and, consequently, give them better prices, decent working conditions and fair terms of trade.

With this in mind, I wanted to bake something using at least three Fairtrade products and this Vanilla and White Chocolate Magic Cake is just the ticket. Whether produced as an after-dinner dessert accompanied by fresh berries, or served as a teatime treat, this rich bake , which magically transforms into three distinct layers – a vanilla cheesecake-type base, a creamy custardy middle layer and a light sponge topping – is sure to please.

I used:

1 tsp  Ndali Fairtrade Organic Vanilla Powder (or use Ndali Vanilla Extract)

100g Green & Black’s Fairtrade Organic White Chocolate

75g Tate & Lyle Fairtrade Light Muscovado Cane Sugar

3 large eggs, separated

75g butter

75g plain flour

Pinch salt

370ml whole milk at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 150C, Gas 2, 140C fan. Grease and line a 10cm x 24cm approx. loaf tin.

Gently melt the chocolate with the butter in the microwave and leave to cool slightly.

Using a mixer, whisk the egg whites until stiff and set aside in another bowl.

Using the same whisk and original bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture pales significantly, then add the vanilla powder.

Gently stir in the melted chocolate and butter into the egg and sugar mixture. Then add the flour and salt. Beat for a few minutes. Pour in the milk little by little, whisking continuously.

Now gently incorporate the saved stiff egg whites into the batter.

Pour into the greased and lined cake tin (it’s ok if it looks lumpy}, smooth the surface and bake for 50/55 minutes – it should wobble slightly when it comes out of the oven.

Cool in the tin and then leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight to set. Serve chilled.