Sokolatopita (Greek Chocolate Cake) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

For chocolate syrup
250 g butter (9 oz)
1 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup brandy (I use Metaxa, but any brandy is fine)
2 teaspoons vanilla
For batter
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 dash salt
5 eggs
Milk-Chocolate Ganache
250 g milk chocolate or 10 ounces milk chocolate
200 g heavy cream or 8 ounces heavy cream

Preparation

In a medium saucepan combine all chocolate syrup ingredients EXCEPT FOR brandy and vanilla, and cook until sugar is melted. Remove from heat and whisk in brandy and vanilla. Remove 1 cup of the chocolate syrup and set aside. Proceed with recipe.
Preheat oven to 180C/355\u00b0F Butter and flour a 13 x 9 \" baking dish (I use a pyrex one).
Whisk flour and eggs in a large bowl. While whisking, slowly dribble in chocolate syrup remaining in pot. Make sure everything is incorporated. Pour into prepared baking pan and bake for exactly 20 minutes. Remove, cut in middle lengthwise and then crosswise into a total of 10-12 pieces. Pour reserved chocolate syrup over and cool. (the cake will not have risen much, it is low, dense and fudgy).
Make ganache: Break up chocolate into small pieces and place in small bowl. In a small saucepan, scald cream. Pour hot cream over broken-up chocolate and whisk until chocolate has fully melted into the cream. Allow to cool for about 1/2 an hour, whisking occasionally, and pour over sokolatopita.
Serving the sokolatopita warm elicits moans of delight from eaters that sound -- well, make it and find out for yourself.