Dark Chocolate Mandarin Cake

Step 1: Place whole mandarins in a saucepan and cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat and then drain and repeat (this helps reduce the bitterness of mandarin peel).

Step 2: Return mandarins to pan (after second draining in step 1) and cover with water and bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes or until very tender and drain and set aside to cool

Step 3: Preheat oven to 180C and grease and line the base and side of a 22cm (base measurement) springform pan.

Step 4: Coarsely chop the mandarins and discard any seeds and place in a food processor and process until smooth.

Step 5: Use an electric mixer to whisk eggs and sugar in a bowl for 8 minutes or until mixture doubles in size and then add mandarin puree, almond meal and flour and gently fold to combine.

Step 6: Fold the chocolate un combined and pour into prepared pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean and set aside in pan to cool completely.

Step 7: Meanwhile to make the mandarin compote, segment half the mandarins and cut remaining mandarins crossways into 3 slices.

Step 8: Place sugar, mandarin juice, cinnamon stick and 1/2 cup (125ml) water in a saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves and then increase heat to high and bring to the boil, and cook, WITHOUT stirring, for 3 minutes or until syrup thickens slightly and add the mandarin zest and mandarin segments and slices and set aside to slightly.

Step 9: Place cake on a serving platter and top with mandarin and pour over the syrup.