Three layers of delicious rich chocolate mousse set between layers of almond flavoured genoise sponge. This decadent dessert cake is a little fiddly to prepare but tastes amazing. A chocolate lovers dream cake.
75gplain chocolate70% cocoa solids, broken into squares
75gwhite chocolatebroken into squares
75gmilk chocolatebroken into squares
cocoa powderto dust
Instructions
To make the cake
Melt the butter and grease a 18cm deep loose bottom square cake tin with a little of the butter and set the rest aside. Preheat the oven to 180℃/160℃ fan/gas mark 4.
Place the eggs and caster sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk for about 10 minutes with a hand held electric whisk. The mixture should be very light and foamy and the whisk leaves a trail that last for a few seconds when lifted.
Sift in the plain flour and add the ground almonds and almond extract and gently fold in. Drizzle the melted butter over the top and fold in until just combined.
Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 20–25 minutes until springy to the touch. Allow to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
When the cake is completely cold, cut in half horizontally. Wash out the tin and line the sides with baking parchment. Place one piece of the sponge in the bottom of the tin.
To make the mousse
Separate the eggs and place each in a separate bowl. Place the egg yolks, cornflour and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk together until combined.
Place the sheets of gelatine into a bowl of cold water.
Heat the milk in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Pour onto the egg yolk mixture whisking as you do so. place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and cook stirring until thickened slightly.
Remove from the heat. Take the gelatine out of the water and whisk into the custard one sheet at a time, whisking until dissolved. Allow to cool.
When the custard is at room temperature, whisk the cream until standing in soft peaks then fold into the cooled custard. Divide equally between three bowls (about 200g mixture in each).
Melt the chocolate in 3 separate bowls. Fold the plain chocolate into one portion. Whisk one egg white until standing tin soft peaks then fold into the plain chocolate mixture. Pour into the tin and spread level. Pop into the freezer for about 10 minutes to set. Leave the remaining custard mixture and chocolate in a warm place.
Next fold the white chocolate into another portion of the custard. Whisk another egg white into soft peaks and fold in. Pour into the tin and spread level. Pop into the freezer for 10 minutes.
Finally repeat with the milk chocolate and remaining egg white.
Layer the chocolate mixtures into the tin on top of each other and spread level. Top with the remaining sponge cake and chill in the refrigerator for several hours.
To serve
Remove the cake from the tin. Dust the top of the cake generously with cocoa powder and carefully remove the parchment collar.