Chocolate Cake with Salted Peanut Butter

Instructions for the cake base

• 1
  Line the bottom of a 24 cm diameter cake tin with baking paper, grease the sides with butter, and dust with cocoa.
• 2
  Sift the flour with cocoa. Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites and beat them into stiff peaks, gradually whisking in the sugar, followed by the yolks one at a time. Carefully fold the flour into the batter using a spatula or wooden spoon.
• 3
  Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin, smooth the surface, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes in an oven preheated to 170°C with a fan. Let the baked cake base cool in the tin. It can be baked a day in advance.

Instructions for the meringue

• 1
  Line the bottom of a 24 cm diameter cake tin with baking paper.
• 2
  Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites and beat them into a thick foam. While continuously beating at the highest speed, add the brown sugar to the egg whites one tablespoon at a time (each must be well incorporated), then briefly whisk in the cocoa, cornstarch, and lemon juice.
• 3
  Spread the foam evenly across the entire tin. Bake for 20 minutes in an oven preheated to 170°C without a fan, then reduce the temperature to 100°C with a fan and dry for another 20 minutes.
• 4
  After baking, let it cool in the tin.

Instructions for the chocolate cream

• 1
  Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl. Heat 100 g of whipping cream in a saucepan (do not let it boil) and pour it over the chocolate. Wait 30 seconds and mix the mixture thoroughly. It will become a shiny and smooth creamy mixture. Chill in the refrigerator until it thickens.
• 2
  Before assembling the cake, beat the butter into a foam and gradually whisk in the chocolate mixture. Finally, gently fold in the whipped cream made from 60 grams of whipping cream.

Instructions for the peanut cream

• 1
  Beat the butter with sugar and honey into a foam. Add cinnamon, sea salt, and mascarpone and beat briefly until everything is combined.

Instructions for assembling the cake

• 1
  Horizontally cut the cake base into 2 halves. Place one half in a cake ring and spread it with fig jam and chocolate cream, cover with the second half of the cake base. Spread the peanut cream on top, cover with a layer of meringue. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for two hours. Before serving, cut the figs into eighths, place them in the center of the cake, sprinkle with sage leaves, and drizzle with honey.