Chocolate and mint caramel cake

Every family needs a good chocolate cake recipe for special occasions, and this is mine, inspired by the
Icebreaker chocolate and mint bars I enjoyed as a child. It has no flour in it, using beaten egg whites to give it a lift instead, so it
may sink a little after coming out of the oven. Dont worry, no one will notice once youve added the topping.
SERVES 810
275g (10oz) caster sugar
large handful of mint leaves, finely chopped
250g (9oz) dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids), broken into pieces
125g (412 oz) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
6 medium free-range eggs (2 kept whole, 4 separated, 1 yolk saved for use in another recipe)
flavourless oil, eg groundnut
FOR THE TOPPING
400ml (14fl oz) double cream
4 tbsp icing sugar
68 drops of peppermint extract
Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Lightly grease a baking tray with a little groundnut oil. Lightly grease a 23cm (9in)
springform cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
Pour 100g (312 oz) of the caster sugar into a large frying pan and place it over a medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally,
but not stirring, to ensure it melts evenly. Once it has turned a deep golden colour, scatter it with the mint leaves and tip on to the
prepared tray. Set aside to cool. When cold and firm, break half the caramel into pieces and place in a bowl. Using the end of a
rolling pin, crush them into very small pieces and set aside. Break the remaining caramel into small shards and reserve for
decoration.
Melt the chocolate in a bowl that fits snugly over a pan of gently simmering water. (The bowl must not actually touch the
water.) Add the butter and stir until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
Beat the 2 whole eggs and 3 egg yolks with 75g (3oz) of the caster sugar until thick, light and fluffy. Fold in the chocolate
mixture, then fold in the crushed caramel.
In another bowl, whisk the 4 egg whites into soft peaks, then add the remaining 100g (312 oz) caster sugar a little at a time
until it is all incorporated. The mixture should be in stiff, glossy peaks that hold their shape.
Fold a spoonful of the whites into the chocolate mixture, then carefully fold in the rest of them. Spoon into the prepared tin
and bake for 3540 minutes, until the cake has risen and the centre is no longer wobbly. Set aside to cool in the tin. Dont worry
if the middle sinks a little this often happens with flourless cakes. When cold, transfer the cake to a serving plate.
To make the topping, put the cream into a bowl, sift the icing sugar over it and add the peppermint extract. Whisk together
until the cream begins to thicken and just holds its shape take care not to over-whip.
Spoon the topping over the surface of the cake, leaving a narrow border around the edge to make for neater cutting.
Scatter the reserved caramel shards on top and serve.
(Recipe from internet)