Dark chocolate tres leches cake

Pour half a cup of hot espresso over the extra dark cocoa powder and stir until smooth, to bloom the flavour.

Add oil, sugar and a tablespoon of coffee liqueur and stir smooth.

Separate five eggs by hand: all five whites into the mixer bowl, three yolks into the wet ingredients, two yolks set aside; no yolk in the whites or they will not whip.

Start beating the whites at medium speed; beat the three yolks into the wet ingredients.

Whisk the flour with a teaspoon and a quarter of baking powder and about half a teaspoon of salt; no sifting needed.

Raise the speed; at very soft peaks, past the foamy stage, add sugar about a tablespoon at a time, beating 20 to 30 seconds after each so it dissolves and the whites do not deflate; beat 30 to 40 seconds after the last until high and silky.

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet with a spatula.

Stir in the first quarter of the whites to loosen the base, then fold in the rest in about three additions, cutting down and folding up, until almost no streaks remain.

Line the bottom of a nine-inch cake pan with parchment and do not grease or flour it, so the sponge can cling to the sides; scoop the batter in from close to the pan.

Bake on the middle rack at 325 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean and the cake springs back.

Cool about 10 minutes, no more.

Combine sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and whole milk in a small saucepan with extra dark cocoa, a couple of tablespoons of strong coffee, about a teaspoon of vanilla and a tablespoon of coffee liqueur; whisk and warm two or three minutes.

Run a knife round the pan, invert onto a platter with a raised edge, and peel off the paper from the outside in.

Spoon the warm milk mixture over the cake starting at the centre, waiting for each round to absorb; allow 15 to 20 minutes until there is no pooling. Poking holes is optional.

Cool completely, perhaps in the refrigerator.

Frost with unsweetened whipped cream, using a straight spatula for the sides and an offset spatula for a flat top.

Garnish with chocolate curls shaved with a vegetable peeler and a sprinkling of cocoa powder; keep refrigerated until serving.