Ingredients
30g cocoa
1/2 tsp baking soda
50g dark chocolate buttons
180g dark brown sugar
140g unsalted butter
125g condensed milk
2 medium eggs
2 tbsp liquid glucose (available in major supermarkets), sit the jar in warm water to soften
240g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees fan-forced or 180 degrees. Line a 25-centimetre loaf tin with baking paper.
2. In a large bowl make a paste with the cocoa and 50 millilitres of cold water. Whisk in 100 millilitres of boiling water, add the baking soda and chocolate buttons and whisk until melted. Set aside.
3. In a stand mixer (you can do this by hand instead), beat the sugar, butter and condensed milk together until smooth. Beat in the eggs and glucose. Sift in half the flour with the baking powder and mix through. Add the chocolate mix and mix until combined. Follow with the rest of the flour and mix until smooth.
4. Pour the mix into the prepared tin and bake for 50 minutes or until cooked - use a skewer to test, but don't cook the loaf until totally dry; there should be a light crumb on the skewer when removed. Allow to cool in the tin.
5. Dust with cocoa and serve on its own or with the roasted pears and vanilla custard.
