It’s SO hot. It’s muggy, clammy, we’re dabbing ourselves with tissues every 5 seconds and we don’t mean to complain, but we’re melting. So we’re not in the mood for big, heavy meals. We’re picking at salads, little bits of cheese, mezze, anything quick and light.

But we’re not giving up pudding.

Let’s not get too crazy. And knowing us, we’re going to need it to be chocolate, chocolate and….peanut butter! Who doesn’t love a chocolate-peanut butter combination? (Sometimes when we get desperate, one of us likes to take a spoon, get out the jars of Nutella and peanut butter and call it an evening.)

This little cake is perfect. It’s got the two elements above. It’s moist, a bit crunchy and super velvety. It’s a bit messy to make but totally worth the trouble!

Chocolate sponge (adapted from a Mary Berry recipe)

175g dark chocolate
6 large eggs
175g sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder

Peanut butter filling

113g unsalted butter
130g smooth and creamy peanut butter
30g icing sugar
a pinch of salt

Chocolate coating

400g dark chocolate
50g ground hazelnuts

1. Preheat the oven to 160 C (fan assisted).
2. Grease a shallow tin and line with greaseproof paper.
3. Melt 175g dark chocolate in a bain marie until melted and leave to cool.
4. Separate the eggs with the whites in one bowl and the yolks in the other.
5. Whisk the egg whites until they stand in stiff peaks.
6. Whisk the sugar and the egg yolks together until thick and pale.
7. Fold the chocolate into the yolk and sugar mixture.
8. Fold egg whites gently into the mixture and gently mix in the cocoa powder. Be careful not to knock the air out of the egg whites!
9. Pour this mixture into the tin and bake for 20 minutes until a skewer inserted into the sponge comes out clean.
10. Remove from oven and leave to cool.
11. In the meantime, whip the butter and the peanut butter together until combined and smooth.
12. Gradually mix in the icing sugar and salt.
13. Cut cooled cake in half, leaving 2 rectangles. Then cut each rectangle into 12 equal squares. This should leave you with 24 squares.
14. Spread the peanut butter filling on each square. Make 12 yummy little sandwiches with the squares.
15. Place the sandwiches in the fridge until firm.
16. Melt the 400g dark chocolate in a bain marie until completely melted and turn off heat.
17. Using a spoon, dip each sandwich into the melted chocolate and ensure they are completely coated.
18. Shake off the excess and place onto greaseproof paper. Dust with ground hazelnuts.
19. Feel free to make pretty swirls with any remaining melted chocolate!
20. Keep refrigerated until you’re ready to eat them 🙂

So what do you think? Feel free to share your questions and comments below! We’d love to hear what you have to say.