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1
Have ready 2 x 20 cm loose-bottom cake tins at least 5 cm deep.
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2
First make the filling as this requires a cooling time.
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3
Blend the cornflour with about a third of the 600 ml milk until smooth.
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4
Bring the remaining milk to the boil in a small nonstick saucepan with the 300 g sugar, syrup and 100 g cocoa, whisking until smooth.
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5
Add the cornflour solution, bring to the boil, stirring constantly, until you have a rich, thick custard.
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6
Remove from the heat and add the 1 teasp vanilla estract and 100 g butter, stirring until it melts.
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7
Ideally the mixture should be silky smooth but if not give it a quick whiz in a food processor.
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8
Pour into a large bowl, cover the surface with clingfilm, and set aside to cool completely.
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9
Preheat the oven to 190C/Gas 5 and butter the cake tins.
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10
For the cake mixture, cream the 180 g butter and 300 g sugar together in a food processor, then incorporate the eggs one at time, followed by the 1 teasp.
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11
vanilla extract, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
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12
Sift together the dry ingredients and add them half at a time to the creamed mixture, then add the 200 ml milk with the motor running.
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13
Divide the mixture evenly between the cake tins, weighting them for accuracy and smoothing the surface.
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14
Bake for 30-40 minutes until a skewer inserted at the centre comes out clean.
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15
Run knife around each cake and leave to cool.
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16
Remove the collars from the cakes and slit each one in half horizontally using a bread knife.
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17
Set aside the best-looking top half.
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18
Place the other top half in the food processor and whiz to crumbs.
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19
To assemble the cake, first give the chocolate-custard filling a stir.
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20
Spread a quarter of the filling over one cake base, taking it almost to the rim, place the other bace on top and spread with another quarter of the custard.
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21
Lay the reserved cake top in place.
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22
Coat the top and sides with the remaining custard.
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23
Coat all over the cake crumbs (this is the 'blackout').
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24
When coating the sides, imagion you're making a sand castle, take handfuls of the crumbs and gently press them against the side, leaving any loose ones to fall down and discarding the excess.
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25
Chill for a couple of hours, then cover with clingfilm.
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26
Remove from the fridge 15-30 minutes before eating.
