Coffee and walnut gateau with brandy sauce _ menus for two

PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes (cake); 5minutes (sauce)
COOKING TIME: 4 minutes, plus standing (cake); 8 minutes (sauce)
MICROWAVE SETTING: Maximum (Full); then Medium Low (35%)

40 g (1 1/2 oz) self-raising
flour                                       
15 g (1/2 oz) cornflour           
1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
50 g (2 oz) soft margarine
50 g (2 oz) soft dark brown
sugar                                      
1 teaspoon coffee essence    
1 egg
40 g (1 1/2 oz) walnuts, finely
chopped                                 
Filling:
2 tablespoons apricot jam
1 x 300 g (11 oz) can
mandarin segments,
drained

Sauce:
35 g (1 1/4 oz) butter,
softened                                 
15 g (1/2 oz) flour                  
9 tablespoons hot water        
1 egg yolk
120 ml (4 floz) whipping
cream                                     
2 teaspoons rum                    
2 teaspoons brandy
25 g (1 oz) icing sugar,
sifted                                      
1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence
walnut half, to decorate

1.  Grease a 600ml (1 pint), 12 1/2 cm (5 inch) diameter souffle dish and line the base and sides with greased greaseproof paper, so that the paper stands 2 1/2 cm (1 inch) higherthan the dish.
2. To make the cake, sift the flour, cornflour and baking powder together into a mixing bowl. Add the margarine, brown sugar, coffee essence, egg and walnuts and beat fori minute until the mixture is smooth. Spoon into the cake case and cook for 1 minute. Turn the dish and cook for a further minute, then leave to stand for 3-4 minutes. Carefully turn out the cake, then reverse again, so that the cake is the right way up. Leave to cool.
3. Split the cake horizontally into 3 pieces and sandwich with layers of jam and mandarin segments. Spread a border of jam round the top of the cake and decorate with a circle of mandarin segments and the walnut half. Transfer carefully to a serving plate.
4. To make the sauce, combine 15 g (1/2 oz) of the butter and the flour in a small bowl and beat until smooth.
5.  Putthe water into a medium bowl and cook for 2 minutes or until steaming. Whisk in the butter mixture a little at a time. Cook for 1 minute, stirring once.
6.  Beat the egg yolk with 2 tablesp'oons of the sauce and gradually beat into the remaining sauce. Reduce the setting to Medium Low (35%) and cook for 1 minute, beating after 30 seconds and at the end until thickened.
7.  Remove the bowl and beat in the remaining butter a little at a time. Leave to cool.
8.  Half whip the cream, then add the rum, brandy, icing sugar and vanilla essence and beat until thick. Gradually beat the sauce into the cream. Serve with the gateau.