Vegan Food & Living - October 2017

Total fat Saturates Salt Sugar Protein

12g 9.1g 0.06g 26.5g 3.2g

12 VEGAN FOOD & LIVING OCTOBER

Recipe development and food photography © Stockfood, The Food Media Agency

Chocolate mousse cake

Serves 12 | Prep 25 mins plus chilling | Cook 25 mins

| Calories 272 (per serving)

FOR THE SPONGE

140g (5oz) plain fl our

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp baking powder

3 tbsp cocoa powder

a pinch of salt

70ml (2½fl oz) aquafaba

(drained liquid from a can

of chickpeas)

65g (2¼oz) coconut oil,

melted

2 tbsp cider vinegar

60g (2oz) apple sauce

120g (4oz) raw cane

sugar, or coconut sugar

FOR THE MOUSSE

250g (9oz) vegan dark

chocolate, chopped

250ml (9fl oz) aquafaba

¼ tsp cream of tartar

TO DECORATE

100g (3½oz) blueberries

100g (3½oz) raspberries

edible fl owers, optional

icing sugar, for dusting

1 For the sponges, preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas

Mark 4. Grease and line two 18cm (7in) cake tins with

greaseproof paper.

2 Stir together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder,

cocoa powder and salt in a large mixing bowl.

3 Whisk together the aquafaba, coconut oil, vinegar, apple

sauce and sugar in a measuring jug until the sugar has

partly dissolved.

4 Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well until a

batter forms. Divide between the prepared cake tins and

tap a few times on a flat surface to help settle the batter.

5 Bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and slightly springy to

the touch; a cake tester should come out clean from their

centres. Place the tins on wire racks to cool.

6 For the mousse topping, place the chocolate in a

heatproof bowl and set it over a half-filled saucepan of

simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted.

7 Remove the bowl from the heat and set aside to cool.

8 Tip the aquafaba into a mixing bowl. Add the cream of

tartar and beat with an electric mixer until it forms stiff

peaks, about 4-6 minutes. Fold the melted chocolate into

the whipped aquafaba until thoroughly incorporated.

Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

9 After chilling, carefully spoon the mousse into a large

piping bag fitted with a closed star-shaped nozzle.

10 To decorate, turn out the sponges from their tins. If

needed, trim their tops flat using a serrated knife.

11 Sit one sponge on a cake stand and cover its top with

piped blobs of the mousse. Sit the second sponge on top,

pressing down gently to stick to the piped mousse. Pipe

more blobs of mousse on top of the cake and decorate

with the berries and edible flowers, if using.

12 Lightly dust with icing sugar just before serving.

A quafaba

Whisk up the miracle ingredient that

comes from simply opening a can of

chickpeas and use the brine to replace

egg white in any recipe

VFL17.Aquafaba.indd 12 06/09/2017 11: