200g self raising flour
4 tablespoons chocolate powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon cornflour
Seeds from 1/2 vanilla pod
4 eggs
A pinch of cinnamon
A pinch of instant coffee powder
200g mascarpone
200g muscovado sugar
100ml water

Sift the flour into a large bowl and add all the dry ingredients. Mix.

On low heat mix the muscovado sugar and mascarpone. Stir in the water and when the sugar has dissolved remove from the heat. Keep aside whilst allowing to slightly cool down.

To make the nua filling you will need:
100g ricotta
1 egg
Vanilla seeds from 1/2 pod
150g Devon Chocolate Chip Hazelnut cookies, broken down into pieces

Mix all the nua filling ingredients together.

Preheat the oven to 160C. Grease a 23 cm cake tin with baking spray.

Make the cake batter by using a large metal spoon to stir in the mascarpone and muscovado sugar into the flour mix.  Fold in gently without over mixing.

Pour the chocolate cake batter and smooth the top.  Then use a tablespoon or a piping bag to drop pockets of the nua filling on top of the cake batter.  Bake in a preheated oven at 160C for 40 minutes. Allow to cool completely before serving.

You can follow Lea’s blog on www.goodfoodeveryday.wordpress.com and watch her cook on TVM2. More of her recipes can be found on www.timesofmalta.com.