Gregg Wallace's white chocolate gateau recipe

The MasterChef judge has created this delicious chocolate cake, perfect for a birthday, a holiday or just because you need a treat!

Ingredients

• butter, for greasing
• 4 eggs
• 125 g (4 oz) caster sugar
• 125 g (4 oz) self-raising flour
• 50 g (2 oz) white chocolate, finely grated

To finish:

• 1 tsp rosewater 2-3 drops rose essence
• 150 ml (1⁄4 pint) crème fraîche
• 200 g (7 oz) white chocolate, broken into pieces
• 75 g (3 oz) unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons single cream, at room temperature
• 125 g (4 oz) icing sugar
• white chocolate curls
• sugared rose petals (optional)
• sifted icing sugar, for dusting

Method

1. Grease and line the bases of two 20 cm (8 inch) round sandwich tins. Whisk the eggs and caster sugar together in a large bowl using a hand-held electric whisk until thick enough to leave a trail when the whisk is lifted.
2. Sift the flour into the bowl. Add the grated chocolate and fold in using a large metal spoon. 
3. Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and bake in a preheated oven, 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4, for 20–25 minutes until just firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
4. Stir the rosewater into the crème fraîche and use to sandwich the 2 cakes together on a serving plate.
5. Put the white chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water so that the base of the bowl is not touching the water and leave until melted. Allow to cool, then stir in the cream and icing sugar and beat until smooth. Leave the mixture to cool further until it forms soft peaks, then spread over the top and side of the cake using a palette knife.
6. Decorate the top of the cake with white chocolate curls, sugared rose petals, if you like, and a light dusting of icing sugar.