Real Living Australia - April 2016

95

MINS +

OVERNIGHT

TO SET

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

Makes 10

Prep time 1 hr + overnight

to set

Cooking time 35 mins

Equipment Measuring cup;

kitchen scales; small & medium

saucepans; citrus grater; sharp

knife; small bowl; 22cm springform

cake tin; baking paper; electric mixer

with whisk attachment; sieve;

skewer; wire rack; serrated knife;

pastry brush; heatproof bowl;

spoon; whisk; spatula; palette knife

Chocolate sponge

Butter, for greasing

4 eggs, room temperature

½ cup caster sugar

Water

80g plain flour, sieved

40g Dutch processed cocoa

(available from supermarket)

25g butter, melted

Orange-sherry syrup

½ orange, grated finely

40g caster sugar

50ml dry sherry

Chocolate mousse

150g each chocolate (53% cocoa)

and dark chocolate (70% cocoa),

chopped coarsely

590ml thickened cream,

at room temperature

¾ titanium-strength gelatine leaf,

softened in cold water for 5 mins

Chocolate ganache

85ml pouring cream

40g each chocolate (53% cocoa)

and dark chocolate (70% cocoa),

finely chopped

10g softened butter

Easter eggs

80g glacé orange, chopped finely

40g roasted hazelnuts, chopped

coarsely

(^1) Preheat oven to 180°C
(160°C fan).
(^2) Make chocolate sponge
Grease and line cake tin. In electric
mixer, whisk eggs on medium-high
for 6 to 8 mins until light and fluffy.
(^3) Meanwhile, stir sugar and
2 tbsp water in cleaned small
saucepan over high heat until sugar
is dissolved, then bring to the boil.
(^4) Pour hot syrup into egg mixture.
In electric mixer, whisk mixture on
medium speed for 5 to 6 mins until
it cools and forms thin ribbons. Sift
flour and cocoa over mixture, fold in,
then fold in melted butter.
(^5) Pour mixture into cake tin and
bake for 20 to 25 mins or until skewer
inserted in centre comes out clean.
Stand cake in tin for 5 mins, then turn
onto wire rack to cool completely.
With serrated knife cut cake in half
horizontally and set aside, cut-side
up. Clean cake tin and line with
baking paper. Set aside.
(^6) Make orange-sherry syrup
Place orange rind, sugar and sherry
in cleaned small saucepan and bring
to simmer over medium heat. Cool,
then generously brush syrup over
sponge. Place one half of sponge
in cake tin. Set both halves aside.
(^7) Make chocolate mousse
Bring water to simmer in medium
saucepan. Melt chocolates in
heatproof bowl placed over
saucepan. Remove and cool to
room temperature.
(^8) Meanwhile, warm 40ml cream
in small saucepan over medium heat.
Remove from heat. Squeeze excess
water from gelatine leaf and add to
cream, stirring to dissolve. Cool to
room temperature.
(^9) Whisk remaining cream to
soft peaks in electric mixer, then,
whisking continuously, add both
chocolate mixture and cream and
gelatine mixture and whisk until
mixtures are half-incorporated (do
not over-whisk). Then fold mixtures
in with spatula to fully incorporate.
Pour over one half of the sponge
in cake tin, smooth top and put
remaining half of sponge on top.
Refrigerate until set (overnight).
(^10) Following day, make
chocolate ganache Bring cream
just to the boil in cleaned small
saucepan over high heat. Remove
from heat, add chocolates and
butter. Stand for 2 to 3 mins until
chocolates melt, then stir mixture
until smooth and glossy. Set aside
for 10 to 20 mins, stirring occasionally
until it starts to thicken.
(^11) A s s e m b l e Take cake out of
refrigerator. Carefully remove cake
from tin and place on wire rack.
Using palette knife, spread ganache
smoothly over cake. Refrigerate cake
for 5 to 10 mins until semi-set. Top
with Easter eggs, glacé orange and
hazelnuts. Wickedly delicious!
Lovely layers
FROM LEFT Linen table napkin, $45 for 4,
Cultiver. Cutipol “Moon” table spoon in
Gold, $25, Francalia. For similar cake stand
(holding layer cake), try 24cm cake stand
in Teal, $41.50, Emerald + Ella. DT Home
“Trinket” dish (on Trattoria side plates, as
before), $19.95, Design Twins.
@reallivingmag