Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake with Dark Chocolate Cake, Vanilla Ice Cream, Praline and Raspberry Gel

We were hosted for Christmas day this year at my brother’s house and it was lovely. Nearly all of us together – a time to celebrate, remember our loved ones not with us and enjoy lovely food and good company. Times like this call for a celebratory dessert and since that was my only job for the day, I was happy out deciding what to prepare. This one has a few processes but all of them can be done in advance and once ready can simply be assembled so there wont be any shouting from the kitchen as you try and finish off dessert away from company.

Chocolate Mousse Cake
This is a layer of hazelnut sponge with a layer of chocolate mousse covered in a layer of chocolate glaze

Sponge
160gr butter
120gr icing sugar
5 egggs
80gr ground almonds
75gr ground hazelnuts
75gr gluten free flour

Oven at 170C
Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy
Add the eggs and flour alternately then fold in the ground almonds and hazelnuts
Bake for approx 30 minutes until skewer comes out clean
Cool and meanwhile
Line the tin it was made with clingfilm leaving 3 inches overhanging all round
Put cake back into the tin

For the mousse
300gr melted chocolate
5 egg yolks and 1 egg
250gr sugar
80ml water
500ml whipped cream

Whisk the eggs and yolk until light and fluffy
Place sugar and water in a pot and boil until it reaches the soft ball stage
Slowly our the sugar over the eggs
When cool but not cold, add in the melted chocolate and whisk until fully combined
Fold in the whipped cream
Pour over the sponge and refrigerate until completely set

For the chocolate glaze
110ml water
130ml sugar
40gr cocoa
100ml cream
2 sheets gelatine
30gr chocolate

Soak gelatine in cold water
In a small pot, bring the water and sugar to the boil then add the cocoa and whisk
Add the cream and mix thoroughly
Keep on a medium heat until it reduces a little
Add the gelatine and whisk
Let it cool a good bit then pour over the mousse and refrigerate until set

At this point the cake can be open frozen until ready to serve – take out about an hour before it is needed

Slice to serve, using a knife dipped in hot water and cleaned between each slicing.

Raspberry Gel
500ml raspberry coulis
5.5 gr agar agar

In a saucepan bring the coulis to a boil
Whisk in the agar agar and remove from the heat,
Allow to cool and set
When set, blend and place in a squeezy bottle
Keep refrigerated until ready for use

Praline
100ml water
160gr sugar
100gr hazelnuts

Add water and sugar into a heavy bottomed pot.
Bring to the boil and as the mix heats stir to dissolve the sugar.
Once boiling, don’t stir.
Continue to cook at boiling point until a rich dark caramel is formed
Carefully tip in the nuts, stir and tip out into a silicone mat and leave to cool
Completely
When cold, blitz to a powder

Dark Chocolate Brownie Cake
100gr melted dark chocolate
75 gr unsalted butter at room temperature
55gr sugar
75gr whole eggs
80gr chopped chocolate
30gr gluten free self raising flour

Line the base of a spring form pan with parchment
Mix the melted chocolate with the butter
Beat the eggs with the sugar
Fold in the butter chocolate mix
Fold in the Sifted flour and gently stir in the chopped chocolate
Bake for about 20 minutes – it must still have a wobble in order to be deliciously gooey in the middle.
Cool and using a 2”ring, cut out circles, taking care to keep them close together to minimise waste.

When plating up, I gently heat the chocolate cakes in the oven for about 2 minutes then add a slice of mousse cake, a sprinkle of praline topped with vanilla ice cream, some raspberry gel and a circle of chocolate cake. (And then stand back and hear all the ooohs and aaahs!).