THIS MOUSSE CAKE IS A REAL SPLASH OUT CHOCOLATE DESSERT; A FEAST FOR THE EYES AND STOMACH.
Ingredients
GINGERBREAD ICE CREAM
- 450ml of milk
- 300ml of double cream
- 1 Vanilla pod
- 500ml of sugar syrup
- 9 Egg yolks
- 4g of ice cream stabilizer
- 500g of ice
- 200g of gingerbread
SALTED PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE
- 90g of sugar
- 1½ tsp of pectin powder
- 3 Egg whites
- 1½ Gelatine leaves, softened
- 270g of double cream, whipped to ribbon stage
- 255g of peanut butter
- 50ml of water, boiling flaky sea salt, to taste
CAKE BASE
- 1½ tbsp of ground almonds
- 225g of dark chocolate, minimum 60% cocoa solids
- 205g of caster sugar
- 125g of unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
- 1 Pinch of sea salt
- 4 Large eggs
CHOCOLATE GLAZE
- 150ml of water
- 175g of caster sugar
- 60g of cocoa powder
- 125ml of double cream
- 2½ Gelatine leaves
- 60g of dark chocolate
How to cook Chocolate + Peanut Mousse Cake With Ginger Bread Ice Cream
For the ice cream, combine the milk, cream and vanilla pod in a pan and bring to the boil. Set aside for 30 minutes to infuse.
Bring the sugar syrup to the boil, turn down the heat and gently simmer for 10 minutes. Place the egg yolks into a blender/food processer and add the hot syrup, leaving the motor running. Mix well. Add the ice cream stabiliser and blend.
Place in a saucepan and bring to 80°C, stirring continuously – be careful not to scramble the mix.
Once cooked, transfer to a cold bowl set over ice water, stir to chill.
Once chilled, transfer to an ice cream maker and crumble in a liberal amount of stale gingerbread into the mix with the blade moving. The bread will break up in the machine, add more if you want more gingerbread in the ice cream.
For the mousse, place the sugar, pectin and eggs in a Thermomix set to speed 4, process until the temperature reaches 60°C. This process can be achieved without a Thermomix: place the same ingredients into a bain-marie [with a metal mixing bowl] over gently simmering water, whisk continuously until a Swiss meringue forms – this may take some time.Add gelatine and whisk to combine.
Mix the peanut butter with the boiling water in a bowl, allow to cool. Add the cream and then fold this mixture into the Swiss meringue mixture.
For the cake, line a 36cm x 26cm x 7cm tin with baking paper then brush with melted butter and dust with ground almonds.
Place the chocolate, caster sugar, butter and salt into a bowl set over gently simmering water to melt.
Whisk the eggs with the ground almonds and then fold into the chocolate mixture. The mixture will thicken after a few minutes.
Preheat the oven to 175°C/gas mark 3. Pour the cake mix into the lined cake tin and bake for 25 minutes, or until the edge of the cake starts to come away from the tin. Remove from the oven and press gently with a palette knife to flatten. Set aside to cool.
Once cool, use a knife to gently break up the surface of the cake – this will help the peanut mousse stick. Spread on the peanut mousse and smooth over with a palette knife. Chill for at least 3 hours.
For the glaze, boil the water and sugar in a pan. Whisk in the cocoa powder and cream and bring back to boil. Turn down the heat and gently simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and add the gelatine and chocolate. Whisk until dissolved and pass the mix through a sieve.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes and pour over the mousse, ensuring the top of the cake is covered.
Dip a knife into hot water and slice the cake into 15-20 even portions. Serve each slice with a scoop of the gingerbread ice cream and a drizzle of the chocolate glaze.
