Irresistible Desserts For The Holidays VI: Black Forest Trifle/Apple+Cinnamon Charlotte/Raspberry Choc. Domes/ Opera 🌞

[justaprogressive]

Black Forest Trifle


This is a fun twist on a classic dessert. Typically a Black
Forest gateau consists of several layers of chocolate cake soaked
in Kirschwasser, a cherry-based spirit, plus whipped cream,
cherries and chocolate shavings. This brilliant recipe allows you
to make a stunning-looking dessert quite simply


For the chocolate sponge

200g/7oz: plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
25g/1oz dark cocoa powder
200q/7oz caster sugar
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
250mU/9fl oz water
250ml/9fl oz cold black coffee
40ml/1 1/2oz vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cherries

2 x 425g/15oz cans of black cherries
juice of 1 orange
2 tablespoons Kirsch
1/2 cinnamon stick
70g/2 1/2oz caster sugar
1 tablespoon corn flour

For the kirsch syrup

100g/3 1/2oz caster sugar
100mi/3 1/2oz water
25mi/1fl oz kirsch

For the cream

2 gelatine leaves,
600ml/20 fl oz whipping cream
25g/1oz icing sugar

To decorate

a few **chocolate curls
a few fresh cherries
a little icing sugar

SERVES 8

Preheat the oven to 170°C/325*F/Gas Mark 3. Lightly grease a
15cm/6 inch square cake tin and line the base with baking
parchment.

Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa powder into a
large mixing bowl. Add the caster sugar and mix well combine,
then make a well in thecentre. Combine the white wine vinegar,
water, coffee, oil and vanilla in a smallbow! and pour into the
well in the dry ingredients. Mix well with a woodenor plastic
spoon to give a smooth batter. You can do this in an electric
mixerfitted with the paddle attachment but take care not to
overmix the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake in the
centre of the oven for 20-30 minutes, until the surface springs
back to the touch anda skewer inserted in the centre comes out
clean. Leave to cool in the tin,

Drain the juice from the cherries and pour two-thieds of it into
a small saucepan. Add the orange juice, kirsch and cinnamon stick
and bring slow to the boil. Mix the sugar and corn flour together
in a bow!. Gradually add enough of the remaining cherry juice to
make a smooth, loose paste. Pour the boiled cherry juice onto the
paste and whisk until smooth, Return the mixture to the pan and
bring back to the boil over a low heat, whisking continuously.
Lower the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until thickened.
Pour the thickened sauce over the cherries in a bowl and leave to
cool completely. Once the cherries have cooled a little, cover the
bowl with cling film to stop a skin forming.

To make the kirsch syrup, put the sugar and water in a small
pan, stir well to dissolve the sugar, then bring to the boil.
Remove from the heat immediately, add the kirsch and leave to
cool.

For the cream, soak the gelatine leaves in a bow! of cold water
for about5 minutes, until completely softened. Remove them from
the water, squeeze out excess liquid and keep to one side. Bring
5Oml/2fl oz of the cream to the boil in a small saucepan. Remove
from the heat, add the softened gelatine and stir until the
gelatine has dissolved. Leave until the cream is just warm, then
add it to the remaining cream with the icing sugar and whisk to
firm peaks.

To assemble the trifle, cut the chocolate sponge into 2.5emi/1
inch cubes. Place a couple of pieces of sponge in each of 8
serving glasses or dishes and, using a pastry brush, soak them
well with the kirsch syrup. Place a large spoonful of the
thickened cherries on top of the sponge. Using a piping bag
fitted with a 1cm/1/2 inch plain nozzle, pipe the whipped cream
into the glasses: keep the piping tip next to the side of the
glass and pipe several vertical lines up to the edge of the
glass. As you pipe, press the tip into the cherries so some of
the thickened juice moves up the sides of the glass

Place more thickened cherries into the glass, especially between
the lines of piped cream. Place another cube or two of sponge
into the centre of the glass Finish by piping cream over the top
of the cherries and sponge and smoothing it flat with a palette
knife. Decorate with chocolate curls, a few fresh cherries and a
little of the thickened cherry juice. Dust with icing sugar

Claire's Notes

* Once you have made the basic products for the tile, you can
assemble it very quickiy.

* The sponge can be frozen for up to 3 weeks and the
thickened cherries and kirsch syrup will keep in the fridge for 3
days.

**MAKING CHOCOLATE CURLS

It does take a while to get the technique right for
chocolate curls but, once you have mastered it, it
becomes a quick garnish for so many desserts and
cakes. The secret is having the chocolate at the right
temperature and using a lower-quality chocolate, such
as baker's chocolate, that contains vegetable fat and
not cocoa butter. This allows the curls to roll and not
splinter as you make them.

You will need a cheese slicer to form the curls. Simply
pull the slicer flat over the smooth side of a large block
of chocolate so that it peels off in a curl. It’s worth buying
a couple of blocks of chocolate so you can practise until
you have perfected your curls ~ you will need a block
weighing about 250g to make decent ones. Keep the
chocolate at room temperature before use. If it seems a
little soft, firm it in the fridge for 5-10 minutes; if it
splinters and refuses to curl, place the block in a warm
place, such as near a radiator or a turned-on stove.
You can store the curls in a sealed plastic container *
in the fridge. They will keep for at least four weeks.


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Apple And Cinnamon Charlotte

This dessert is less complex than it looks but it does involve
quite a bit of skill. Classically it is filled with a kirsch
bavarois ~ a custard-based mousse flavoured with cherry liqueur.
My recipe is for a fruit-based strawberry mousse that is very
light and creamy. It looks so pretty and is the veryessence of
summer. You will need 10 individual dome moulds, about 7.ScmI3
inches in diameter, to make these. I suggest investing in the
stainless steel ones. They are better than the flexi moulds
because they can be warmed easily and the mousse will pop out
effortlessly. If you haye inexpensive teacups, they will make
good moulds too

For the Swiss roll

3 medium eggs
75g/2oz caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
75g/2oz plain flour
4 tablespoons seedless raspberry preserve

For the strawberry mousse

800g/10/2oz strawberries for puréeing, plus 6 strawberries,
hulled and cut into small pieces
3 gelatine leaves
250g/9oz caster sugar
250ml/8fl oz water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
250mi/9fl oz double cream

To decorate

3 tablespoons apricot preserve
6 strawberries, cut into halves or quarters

MAKES 10

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Grease a Swiss roll
tin and line it with baking parchment.

Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar together until
they are pale and fluffy and have tripled in volume; the mixture
should be thick enough to leave a trail on the surface when
drizzled from the whisk. Sift the flour on to a piece of baking
parchment. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold it into the
mixture a spoonful at a time, taking care to disperse the flour
over the entire area of the egg foam; this helps to prevent
lumps. Keep as much volume as you can and try not to overmix.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared Swiss roll tin and level the
surface with an angled palette knife. It is important that the
sponge is as level as possible on the tray so it cooks evenly, so
take your time to smooth out the mix without knocking out the
volume.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the sponge is golden brown and
springs back to the touch when gently pressed. Do not overcook,
or it will become brittle and hard. Remove the sponge from the
tray as soon as it comes out of the oven and place on a wire rack
to cool. It should still be on the parchment.

Once the sponge is completely cold, turn it over on to a piece
of baking parchment that has been lightly sprinkled with caster
sugar; this will prevent the sponge sticking to the paper. Peel
off the backing paper and spread the sponge evenly with a thin
layer of raspberry preserve. The shorter end of the oblong should
be facing you. Cut away about 5mm/ 1/4 inch of the sponge to
make a neat, even, clean line. Roll the sponge up as tightly as you
can until it forms a coil about 2.5cm/1 inch wide. Using a large
knife,

Cut across the sponge to release the roll from the rest of the
sponge. Repeat this process until there is no more sponge; you
should have 4 or 5 coils,

Wrap them individually in baking parchment and place in the
freezer for about an hour.

Remove the coils of sponge from the freezer and allow them to
defrost only a little; they will be easier to cut if they are
still slightly frozen. Slice discs of Swiss roll about 5mm/ 1/4
inch thick. Place one disc in the centre of each dome mould,
then continue to cover the mould completely with the cut discs,
working around the central one. Keep the discs as close together
as you can, so there are not too many gaps. Once the moulds are
fully lined, place them on a tray in the fridge while you make
the mousse.

Purée the 300g/10oz strawberries in a food processor or blender
and then pass through a fine sieve to remove the seeds, Weigh
the purée; you will need 250g/9oz. Keep any remaining purée
covered in a small bowl in the fridge. Soak the gelatine leaves
in cold water for about 5 minutes, until soft and pliable, then
remove from the water and squeeze out the excess liquid. Keep
them in a small bowl to one side. Place the sugar and water in a
heavy-based pan and bring slowly to the boil, stirring to
dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and add the soaked
gelatine, stirring well to combine. Pass this syrup through a
fine sieve into a large mixing bowl, add the strawberry purée and
lemon juice and mix well.

Semi-whip the cream until it just holds soft peaks. Leave in the
fridge while you cool the mousse base. Place the bowl containing
the mousse base over a larger bowl full of ice and whisk it
gently as it cools. It is important to keep the mix moving so it
does not set on the side of the bowl and form lumps.

Once the mixture is completely cold and has begun to thicken
slightly, remove it from the ice. Using a large metal spoon or a
rubber spatula, fold in a third of the semi-whipped cream. Once
it has been incorporated, mix in the remaining two-thirds. Spoon
the mixture into the prepared moulds to fill them half way. Place
the chopped strawberries on top of the mousse, then fill up the
moulds with the remaining mousse. Level with a palette knife and
place them on a small tray in the fridge for 2-3 hours to
set. Once the mousse is set, you can turn the charlottes out of
their moulds by dipping them into a small basin of hot water for
a few seconds, then flipping them over on to a tray lined with
baking parchment. The moulds should lift off easily, leaving the
charlottes on the tray. Bring the apricot preserve to the boil in
a small pan with a tablespoon of water, then pass through a fine
sieve. Place back in a clean pan and bring to the boil again.
Brush the domes with the preserve to make them shiny and to
prevent the sponge drying out. Transfer the domes to
individual serving plates and serve with the cut strawberries and
any leftover strawberry purée.

Claire's Notes

* The Swiss roll coils can be made in advance and will keep in
the freezer for up to 4 weeks.

* For an extra kick, add 2 teaspoons of kirsch or Cointreau to
the mousse base before folding in the cream

* These keep really well in the freezer. Freeze them unglazed
and defrost thoroughly before glazing them.


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Raspberry Chocolate Dome

I recommend you use Scottish raspberries for this, if possible.
Scotland produces some of the best raspberries in the world, and
over the years Scottish farmers have invested time and money in
developing new varieties that suit the climate there. This
recipe is the ideal showcase for good raspberries, as they are
softly poached and the flavour intensifies as they steep in the
syrup, which is also used to make the mousse. ove all chocolate
but my absolute favourite is the sublime Chuao, which is produced
by a small brother and sister company called Amedei, based in
Tuscan.

Chuao was first brought to my attention by the lovely Laura King,
who not only supplied me with my beloved Amedei but
just happens to be the largest importer of caviar into England.
Chuao oozes with aromas and essences of raspberries, cherries
and plums, making it perfectly in tune with this dessert. It
is so rich and powerful that the taste lingers in ‘your mouth
like a good wine for several minutes afterwards. If you have
trouble finding Chuao, choose a good chocolate with 70 per cent
cocoa solids. Check the blurb on the back of the packet, as most
describe the product. Anything that has similar characteristics
to the Chuao will work well.

For the poached raspberries

350g/12oz raspberries
100g/3 1/2oz caster sugar
100ml/3 1/2 oz water
1 teaspoon framboise liqueur (optional)

For the raspberry sauce

200g/7oz raspberries
80g/2 3/4oz
icing sugar
a little lemon juice

For the mousse

275q/9 3/4oz Chuao or similar dark chocolate
650mi/22fl oz whipping cream
115g/4oz caster sugar
3 large egg whites
4 gelatine leaves

For the chocolate sauce

250ml/9fl oz double cream
200g/7oz Chauo chocolate, finely chopped

For the garnish

300g/10 1/2oz tempered dark chocolate

optional

1 punnet of raspberries
a litle icing sugar

SERVES 12

First prepare the poached raspberries. Wash the
raspberries in a colander and then dry them gently on a clean
tea towel. Place them in a large mixing bowl, Combine the sugar
and water in a small saucepan and stir well Bring to the boil,
remove from the heat and add the framboise. Pout this syrup over
the raspberries and leave to cool. The heat of the syrup will
draw the juice from the raspberries, turning ita pretty shade of
pink.

To make the raspberry sauce, place the raspberries in a blender
with the icing sugar and blitz until smooth, Pass the sauce
through a fine sieve to remove the seeds, Add a little lemon
juice a drop or two at a time to adjust the sweetness and
balance of the sauce.

Next make the mousse. Grate 25g/10z of the chocolate straight
from the block on to a piece of baking parchment, using a cheese
grater or a microplane. Finely chop the remaining chocolate and
melt it in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making sure
the water doesn’t touch the base of the bowl. Keep warm. Semi-
whip the cream, keeping it at soft peaks, and store it in the
fridge until later.

If you have an electric mixer, you can combine al the sugar with
the egg whites and whisk to a stiff meringue on a medium to fast
speed. If you are doing it by hand, place the egg whites in a
large mixing bowl, add a third of the sugar and whisk until the
meringue forms soft peaks. Add another third of the sugar and
continuing whisking until the meringue teaches firm peaks. Add
the remaining sugar and whisk just enough to combine. Soak the
gelatine in a large bowl of very cold water for about 5 minutes,
until it is completely soft Remove from the water and squeeze
out the excess. Take 25ml/ 1fl oz of the poaching liquid from the
raspberries and. heat it to boiling point in a small saucepan,
Remove from the heat, add the warm, fold it gently into’ the
meringue with a large metal spoon or a rubber spatula. Then fold
in the melted chocolate, taking care not to lose any volume. Mix
half the semi-whipped cream into the chocolate meringue and then
fold in the rest. Lastly add the grated chocolate and mix gently.

To assemble the dessert, spoon some of the poached raspberries
into 12 individual serving dishes and cover with a spoonful of
the raspberry sauce. Spoon a little of the chocolate mousse into
the dishes, then push a small spoonful of poached raspberries
down into the centre of the mousse. Spoon in more chocolate
mousse and, using a palette knife or spatula, shape into a smooth
dome. Chill for 2 hours, until firm.

Make the chocolate sauce while the domes are chilling, Bring the
cream to the boil, then remove from the heat. Pour it over the
chopped chocolate and mix gently to make a smooth sauce.

If you are making the chocolate decoration, spread a little
tempered chocolate on to a clean sheet of acetate and smooth it
out as thinly as possible with an angled palette knife. It should
set in a few minutes. Once the chocolate is set, flip the acetate
over on to a tray lined with baking parchment, so the chocolate
is facing the parchment. Store in a cool place or wrapped in
cling film in the fridge. When you want to decorate the mousses,
the chocolate should peel away easily from the acetate in a
single sheet. Break it into abstract pieces.

Just before serving, spoon a large tablespoon of chocolate sauce
over each dome. Decorate with the fresh raspberries and the
chocolate pieces, then dust with a little icing sugar.

Claire’s Notes

* I like to use glass coupe dishes or pretty china dishes that
are deep enough to make a dome.

* Framboise is a clear raspberry spirit that adds a kick to the
poaching liquid for this dessert. The remaining poaching liquid
is too good to throw away. Serve it chilled in shot glasses with
a small scoop of raspberry sorbet, as an accompaniment to the
dessert.

* The domes will keep, covered, for 2 days in the fridge. Finish
with the chocolate sauce and decorate them on the day.


********************************************************************



Opera Cake

This is one of my favourite cakes to make. I really enjoy the
challenge of getting the layers perfectly even and imbibing (
soaking) the sponge. | am not a coffee lover but I do like coffee
cake and this combination of coffee and rich chocolate is
seriously adult. If cakes were listed according to
their indulgence factor, this would be top of the list in the
adult section. Many believe Opéra was created by Louis Clichy,
baker and owner of the Clichy patisserie in Paris in the 1930s.
However, another patisserie made a very similar cake known by the
same name, which was created in honour of the Paris Opera House.

You will need an angled palette knife for a professional finish.
You can make the layers of joconde (almond sponge), butter cream
and ganache without one but it is not as easy and takes twice as
long. The finished cake should stand not much more than 2.5cm/1
inch in height.

For the butter cream

180g/6oz caster sugar
65mi/2 1/4 fl oz water
2 1/2 teaspoons liquid glucose
3 medium egg whites
250g/9oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon liquid coffee (e.g Camp coffee essence)

For the coffee syrup

500g/1lb 2oz caster sugar
500mI/18fl oz water
2 heaped tablespoons ground coffee

For the joconde

6 medium eggs, separated
250g/90z caster sugar
125g/4 1/2oz ground almonds
1259/4 1/2oz plain flour

For the chocolate ganache
300g/10'/0z dark chocolate(60-70 per cent cocoa solids),finely chopped
150mi/5fl oz double cream

For the glaze

150g/5Veoz dark chocolate (70er cent cocoa solids), chopped
80mI/3fl oz double cream
12g/ 1/2oz caster sugar
2 teaspoons liquid glucose

To finish

50g/1 3/4oz dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids),
melted gold leaf (optional)

SERVES 12

Start by making the butter cream. Place the sugar, water and
glucose in a greased pan and mix to dissolve. Place the pan over a
medium heat and stir until it comes to the boil, Pat a sugar
thermometer in the pan and boil, without stirring, until the
syrup reaches soft-ball stage (118°C/245°F).

To prevent crystallisation, brush down the sides of the pan 4 or
5 times with a clean pastry brush dipped in a little cold
water. le the sugar syrup is cooking, start to whisk the egg
whites in a freestanding electric mixer, or in a large bowl with
a handheld electric beater. When the egg whites are well risen
and firm, reduce the speed of the machine to medium, Once the
sugar syrup has reached the correct temperature, remove the
thermometer and pour the syrup slowly and carefully on to the
whisking egg whites. Avoid pouring it directly on to the whisk as
it turns in the bowl, or it will throw the syrup around the
sidesof the bowl.

Whisk until the mixture is nearly cold, then add the butter
a tablespoon at a time, whisking well between each addition.
Continue to whisk until the butter cream is smooth and shiny. Add
the coffee essence and mix in well. Cover the butter cream with
cling film but do not refrigerate it. To make the coffee syrup,
put the sugar, water and ground coffee in a pan and mix well,
then bring slowly to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. As
soon as it reaches a rolling boil, remove from the heat.
Transfer to a plastic container or bowl and cool completely.

Next make the joconde. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6,
Line two 45 x 30cm/18 x 12 inch baking trays with baking
parchment. Whisk the egg yolks with half the caster sugar until
pale, thick, fluffy and doubled in volume. In a freestanding
electric mixer, whisk the egg whites with the remaining caster
sugar until they form a stiff meringue. Whilst theee whites are
whisking, sift the ground almonds and flour together on to
apiece of baking parchment. Remove the egg whites from the
machine. Using a large metal spoon, fold a third of the whites
into the whisked egg yolk mix. Now fold in a little of the sifted
dry ingredients. Repeat until all the egg whites and dry,
ingredients have been folded in. Take care not to be heavy
handed and overmix the batter. Divide the mix equally between
the2 lined baking trays, then level the top with an angled
palette knife. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the joconde is
light brown and springs back when lightly pressed. Leave to cool
in the baking trays

While the sponge is cooking, make the ganache. Place the finely
chopped chocolate in a bowl. Bring the cream to the boil and pour
it over the chocolate. Whisk very gently to make a smooth, shiny
ganache. Cover with cling film, but do not refrigerate. ‘

Cut each sponge cake in half. Brush one piece with the melted
dark chocolate on one side. Let the chocolate set and then turn
the joconde over on to a lined baking tray so the chocolate is on
the bottom. This will form the base of the cake. Using a pastry
brush, soak this layer very well with the coffee syrup. You
should not see any white sponge; it should be the colour of
coffee and when pressed the sponge should feel soft.

Using the angled palette knife, spread an even layer of butter
cream over the soaked sponge. Place another piece of sponge on
top of that and soak well with the coffee syrup. Spread this
layer with an even layer of the chocolate ganache. Place another
piece of sponge on the ganache and soak again. This time cover it
with an even layer of butter cream. Place the last piece of
sponge on the butter cream and, using the back of the baking
tray, press down gently on the cake to make a flat, even surface.
Soak the top with a little less syrup than the rest of the cake
and spread with a slightly thinner layer of butter cream. Level
with the palette knife.

Place the cake, still on the tray, in the fridge for 30 minutes
to firm up. Once the cake has firmed, make the glaze. Put the
chopped chocolate in a owl. Bring the cream to the boil with the
sugar and glucose, then pour it over the chopped chocolate and
mix very gently to form a smooth, shiny glaze. Pour the glaze
over the top of the cake and level with the angled palette knife,
leaving the glaze quite thick so you can level it again to
a smooth finish with a clean metal ruler. Run the ruler over the
glaze to make it a thin, even layer. I try to smooth it in just
one or two goes, as the more you work the glaze, the more it will
lose its shine and become dull. Do not worry if the glaze falls
over the edges of the cakes, as you will be trimming them off
later. Keep any excess glaze in a small bowl.

Put the cake back in the fridge for about 20 minutes to firm up
the glaze. Using a serrated bread knife that has been warmed in a
jug of hot water and then dried, trim off the edges of the cake
to show the neat layers. The word Opéra is classically piped on
to the cake ~ I use some of the excess glaze or ganache for this.
You can pipe it on top of the whole cake or cut individual slices
and pipe on each one, as shown in the picture.If you are not
happy to pipe the word Opéra, simply finish with gold leaf,which
still looks stunning. Pick up the gold leaf on the tip of a
knife and place the tip into the cake; the gold leaf will stick
to the cake.

The cake will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for 5-6
days.

Claire's Notes

* For ease of production, make the sponge, butter cream and
syrup the day before you are going to assemble the cake. Don't
keep the butter cream in the fridge, however, as it will get too
hard.

* Opéra keeps extremely well in the freezer, as long as you
freeze it before doing the glaze. Finish the cake when needed and
be sure to defrost it well before attempting the glazing.

* If you overcook the sponge and is a little crisp, which
does happen sometimes, remove the sponge from the baking tray
as soon as it comes out of the oven and leave to cool on a wire
rack. It will still absorb a lot of coffee syrup, so make sure you
soak it well and check it is soft by pressing it gently.


****************************************************************



Tia Maria

I have been making this dessert for over 20 years. The recipe
belongs to the great Swiss patissier Ernest Bachmann, one of my
mentors and idols, and I have adapted it over time, making
various combinations of different chocolates, sponges and
coffees. The almond flavour of the amaretti biscuits works well
with the caramel qualities in the milk chocolate, while the Tia
Maria adds a little kick. You can make individual ones if you
have rings or assemble it in a cake tin and cut it into slices,
Either way, it is a very impressive dessert.


For the almond sponge

250g/9oz white marzipan
25g/1oz icing sugar mond sponge
3 medium eggs
60g/2 1/4oz unsalted butter
25g/1oz plain flour
25g/1oz cornflour

For the syrup and filling

100g/3 1/2oz caster sugar
200g/7oz amaretti biscuits

For the feuilletine

75g/2 3/4oz milk chocolate (at least 30 percent cocoa solids)
125g/4 1/2oz sugared cornflakes, such as Sugar Frosties
250g/9oz chocolate hazelnut spread, such as Green & Black's or Nutella

For the coffee mousse

375mi/12 1/2oz double cream
400g/14oz milk chocolate (at least 30 per cent cocoa solids)
1 1/2 gelatine leaves
50mI/2fl oz liquid glucose
50ml/2fl oz water
12g/1/2oz ground coffee

To finish

100g/3 1/2 oz ground hazelnuts or almonds 8 amaretti biscuits

SERVES 8

Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3. Line the base of a
1Scm/6 inch square cake tin with baking parchment.

To make the almond sponge, break the marzipan into small pieces
andplacing it in a freestanding electric mixer fitted with the
paddle attachment. Sift the icing sugar and add to the bowl, then
mix together on a low speed until combined .

Separate 2 of the eggs. Beat the yolks with the remaining whole
egg in a small bowl, just to combine. Add to the marzipan a
little at a time, still mixing on a low speed. Make sure you
scrape down the sides of the bow! between each addition and the
marzipan remains smooth. If you add theegg t00 quickly, it will
become lumpy.

Melt the butter in a small pan and keep hot. Sift the flour and
corn flour on to a piece of baking parchment.

Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until they form firm peaks.
Fold the egg whites into the creamed marzipan with a large metal
spoon or rubber spatula. Fold in the sifted flours, taking care
not to lose any volume, Pour the warm melted butter down the side
of the bowl so it flows on to the surface of the mix without
sinking in, Fold it in using the same metal spoon orrubber
spatula. Spoon the mix into the prepared cake tin and bake in
the centre of the oven for 20-25 minutes, until the cake is
golden brown and springs back to the touch when pressed gently.
Leave to cool in the tin. Spread the ground hazelnuts or almonds
for finishing the délices on a tray lined with baking parchment.
Bake in the centre of the oven for about 10 minutes, until golden
brown, Cool on the tray.

Next make the syrup. Put the sugar and water in a small pan and
place over a medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and add the Tia
Maria. Leave to cool.

To make the feuilletine, melt the chocolate in a bowl placed
over a pan of simmering water, making sure the water does not
touch the base of the bowl. Place the sugared cornflakes in a
plastic bag and crush them as finely as possible with a rolling
pin, then transfer to a small bowl. Stir in the melted chocolate.
Add the chocolate hazelnut spread and combine well.

Take 2 sheets of baking parchment each about 300 x 210mm (12 x 8
inches)Spoon the feuilletine in the centre of one of them, place the
other piece on top and then roll out the feuilletine mixture
between the sheets of paper until itis about 5mm thick. Place
the feuilletine, still between the 2 pieces of parchment, on a
tray and place in the freezer to chill until firm.

Turn the almond sponge out of the tin and use a 4cm/1 1/2 inch
plain pastry cutter to cut out 8 discs. Place eight 4cm/1/ inch
ring moulds, about 5cm/2 inches deep, on a tray lined with
baking parchment and put a disc of sponge in the base of each
one. Using a pastry brush, soak each disc with the Tia Maria
syrup.

Remove the sheet of feuilletine from the freezer. It should be
cold and firm to the touch. Peel off the paper on one side and
flip it over on to another piece of baking parchment. Remove the
parchment from the second side. Work quickly, as the feuilletine
will go soft and be difficult to handle if it gets warm. Cut out
8 discs with the pastry cutter and place on top of the sponge in
the ring moulds.

Place the remaining Tia Maria syrup in a small bowl. Break the
amaretti for the filling in half and dunk them one at a time in
the syrup to soak them, They should be soft but not falling
apart. Now place 4 or 5 pieces in each ring mould around the
side of the ring.

Finally make the coffee mousse. Whip the cteam to soft peaks and
set it aside in the fridge. Melt the chocolate in a bowl placed
over a pan of simmering water, making sure the water does not
touch the base of the bowl. Soak the gelatine in a large bowl of
cold water for about 5 minutes, until soft. Remove the gelatine
from the water, squeeze out excess liquid and set aside. Put the
glucose, water and coffee in a small pan over a medium heat. As
soon as it comes to boiling point, remove from the heat and add
the soaked gelatine. Whisk until dissolved. Strain the hot
mixture through a fine sieve over the melted chocolate and whisk
gently to combine to a smooth paste.

Using a large metal spoon or a rubber spatula, fold a third of
the semi-whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Make sure it
is mixed in thoroughly before adding any more. Add the cream in
2 more batches, taking extreme care to be as gentle as possible
and not overmix. Place the mixture in a piping bag fitted with a
1cm/1/2 inch plain nozzle and pipe into the prepared moulds.
Level the top of each mould with a palette knife or spatula,
then place the tray in the fridge. Leave for about 2 hours,
until the mousse is firm and set.

To finish, place the ground nuts in a tea strainer or fine sieve
and dust the top of each mousse in an even layer. Unmould the
mousses. You can do this with a blowtorch, if you have one,
holding it about 15cm/6 inches away from each mould to warm it,
turning the mould as you do so. Be careful not to leave the
blowtorch in one spot for any length of time or the mousse will
melt and lose its shape. If you don’t have a blowtorch, wrap a
hot, damp towel around the outside of each fing to warm it.
Finish with an amaretti biscuit on each mousse.

Claire's Notes

+ Once the chocolate has melted, remove it
from the pan of hot water to prevent it becoming burnt. Milk
chocolate is more susceptible to burning than dark chocolate. Keep
the bow! warm by sitting it on top of the oven whilst the oven is
on.

* If you do not have individual moulds, assemble the cake in
the same fashion in the tin in which you baked the sponge. Once it
is set, trim the edges neatly with a hot knife and cut it into
squares or oblongs.


All the above from "Indulge: 100 Perfect Desserts"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1090587

Deeeee-licious!! Enjoy everyone!



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