This year I gave myself a lot of Valrhona chocolate as a birthday present, so of course the birthday cake is made with it. The cake is not difficult to make, but takes some time as the individual parts need a trip to the freezer before being assembled.
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE WITH RASPBERRY GLAZE
12-14 SERVINGS.
HAZELNUT BASE:
25 G MILK CHOCOLATE (JIVARA 40% FROM VALRHONA)
40 G ROASTED HAZELNUTS, WITH THE SKIN REMOVED
40 G SUGAR
1 EGG YOLKS
1 EGG WHITE
1 PINCH OF SALT
Melt the chocolate in the microwave at small intervals.
Blend the roasted hazelnuts to a fine flour.
Whip sugar and egg yolks bright and airy in a bowl.
Fold the hazelnut, melted chocolate and salt with the egg yolks.
Beat the egg whites stiff and gently fold them into the chocolate mixture.
Spread the batter into a greased 16 cm spring mould lined with baking paper at the bottom and bake the cake for 30 minutes at 175 degrees until it is golden and baked through.
PRALINE :
25 G SUGAR
25 G ROASTED HAZELNUTS, WITH THE SKIN REMOVED
25 G MILK CHOCOLATE JIVARA 40% FROM VALRHONA)
1 PINCH OF SALT
Melt sugar into a golden caramel in a small pan.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the hazelnuts.
Pour the caramelized nuts onto a piece of baking paper and allow them to cool.
Blend the nuts to a creamy mixture.
Melt the chocolate and stir it in.
Spread the praline in a round silicone mould, 11 cm in diameter, cover with cling film and place it in the freezer.
DULCEYMOUSSE:
40 G VALRHONA DULCEY 32%
½ SHEETS GELATINE
125 G HEAVY CREAM 38 %
Soak the gelatine in cold water for 5-10 min.
Finely chop the chocolate.
Heat 60 g cream to the boiling point.
Squeeze the water from the gelatine and add it to the hot cream.
Pour the cream over the chocolate, let it sit for a while before it stirring it to a shinynganache.
Let the ganache cool down to room temperature.
Whisk the rest of the cream to soft peaks.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate without knocking too much air out.
Fill half of the mousse onto a piping bag and fill a silicone mould (Placed on a cutting board to easier move it) with 8 cm hemispheres. Smooth out the surface neatly and flat. Save the rest of the mousse for yourself in the fridge.
Cover with film to protect the mousse and place the mould in the freezer for a few hours or overnight.
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE:
150 G MILK CHOCOLATE MIN. 36% (I USE CARAMELIA FROM VALRHONA)
500 G HEAVY CREAM 38 %
2 PASTEURISED EGG YOLKS
50 G ICING SUGAR
Finely chop the chocolate.
Melt chocolate and 50 g cream together at low heat to a ganache.
Whisk egg yolks and icing sugar to a light and airy cream.
Whisk the rest of the heavy cream to soft peaks.
Fold 1/4 of the whipped cream into the ganache.d
Mix the egg cream into the ganache, a little at a time.
Carefully fold the rest of the whipped cream into the chocolate without knocking too much air out.
ASSEMBLY:
Distribute the milk chocolate mousse in a spiral silicone mould, lightly tap the mould against the table to remove any air bubbles.
Gently push a dulcey mousse out of the mould and press it lightly into the center of the chocolate mousse.
Slide the praline out of the mould and place it on top of the dulcey mousse.
Finally put the hazelnut base on top of the praline and press it all lightly into the mousse until the the base is level with the mousse and the surface is flat.
Cover the surface with cling film and place the cake in the freezer for at least 24 hours, until the mousse is frozen.
RASPBERRY GLAZE:
6 SHEETS GELATINE
100 G WHITE CHOCOLATE
150 G SUGAR
150 G GLUKOSE SYRUP
100 G RASPBERRY SYRUP
½ TSP. RED FOOD COLOURING GEL
Soaked the gelatine in cold water 5-10 min.
Bring cream, sugar and glucose syrup to a boil in a pot and remove it from the heat.
Squeeze water from the gelatine, and stir it into the hot cream.
Add raspberry syrup, slowly put an immersion blender into the glass at an angle and blend for a few minutes. Keep the blender still as much as possible, to prevent air bubbles from entering the liquid.
Add food colour and blend again.
Cover the surface with cling film and let it cool down to approx. 35 degrees.
Place the frozen cake on a glass or can, with a dish lined with baking paper underneath to catch excess glaze, and pour the glaze over in steady and calm motion from the center and out.
Let the glaze drip for a few minutes and cut with a sharp knife around the edge to remove any excess glaze. Carefully move the cake onto the serving dish using two long knives or spatulas.
DECORATION:
OPALYS CRUNCHY PEARLS
SPRINKLES
RED WOOD SORREL
Place a border of crunchy pearls all the way around the base of the cake, decorate with small sprinkles and wood sorrel.
Let the cake thaw in the fridge.
TIP:
The spiral shape is from Pavocake, KE010.