Chocolate Mousse Meringue Cake
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 60 minutes plus 1 hour setting time
Cooking time: 60 minutes
For the hazelnut dacquoise layer
- 80g/2.8ozs eggs (weighed in the shell)
- 50g/1.7ozs. caster or superfine sugar
- 65g/4ozs. ground hazelnuts
- 25g/2.3ozs. flour
- 20g/0.7ozs. melted butter, cooled slightly
For the meringue
- 2 egg whites (around 80g/3ozs.), room temperature
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 80g/2.8ozs. caster or superfine sugar
- 80g/2.8ozs. icing or powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
For the chocolate mousse
- 1 teaspoon gelatine powder
- 2 tablespoons water
- 200g/7ozs. dark chocolate
- 1.5 cups cream
Step 1 - First make the dacquoise base. Line a 15cm/6inch springform tin with parchment on the base and sides and preheat oven to 180C/350F. Whisk the eggs and sugar until quite thick and pale about 4-5 minutes; you don't want it too runny. Then fold in hazelnut meal, flour and butter. Spread into tin and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly toasted in colour. Cool and wrap. This can be done a couple of days ahead.
Step 2 - Make the meringue straws. Preheat oven to 130C/260F and draw lines on two sheets of baking paper at least 1 inch apart. Fit a piping bag with a 9mm plain tip. Whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Then add the caster, powdered sugar and cocoa powder gradually until you get stiff peaks.
Step 3 - Fill piping bag with the meringue and pipe lines. Bake for 40 minutes and then cool in the oven. You can do this the day ahead.
Step 4 - Then make the mousse. Sprinkle gelatine over the water and then microwave for 20 seconds or until melted. Heat 1/2 cup of the cream until almost boiling and then add the gelatine mixture. Pour over chocolate and stir to melt until it becomes smooth. Cool until lukewarm in temperature.
Step 5 - In a mixer, whisk the remaining cup of cream until you get soft peaks. Fold in the chocolate and keep folding until streaks disappear. Oil a bowl and spoon the mousse into the cover. Cover and allow to set for 1 hour.
Step 6 - Place the cake on a serving plate and then place the mousse bowl right side up and serving plate upside down and invert. The mousse should slide off. You should still be able to spread the mousse too so I take it all the way down the sides of the cake with an angled spatula (or you can leave it as it is).
Step 7 - Using a palette knife, release the meringue straws from the parchment and break and place on top of cake. Sift icing sugar on top and serve.