Zebra cake – Moist chocolate and pistachio cake made with olive oil

• Preheat the oven to 180°C.

• Separate the yolks from the whites.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla sugar. The mixture should become frothy.

• Add the flour, stirring regularly, then the olive oil.

• Next, divide the dough into two.

• Add the pistachio paste to one half.

• Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie, then add the melted chocolate to the second half of the batter.

• Next, whisk the egg whites until stiff.

• Then gently fold them into each half of the dough.

• Grease and flour a round cake tin.

• Spoon a generous spoonful of the chocolate mixture into the centre of the tin, then, still in the centre, a generous spoonful of the pistachio mixture, and so on, alternating between the two mixtures until both are used up. It is this alternating pattern that creates the ‘zebra’ effect.

• Bake immediately for 20 to 30 minutes (depending on the oven), then leave to cool completely.

• Chop (or grate) the chocolate.

• Heat the crème fraîche.

• Next, pour the hot cream over the chocolate and leave for a minute to allow the chocolate to absorb the cream. Mix the chocolate and cream together, taking care not to incorporate any air. Then add the citron-flavoured olive oil and mix until the mixture is smooth.

• Then place the cake on a wire rack above a bowl (a baking tray works perfectly).

• Then pour the topping over the cake and smooth it out.

• Then decorate it however you like.

• Leave to rest for 1 to 2 hours before serving.