Chocolate Mousse Orange Cake
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott, adapted from Let It Simmer by Sean Moran
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 55 minutes
Serves: 6-8 people
Chocolate Cake
- 200g/7ozs. dark chocolate (I used a guanaja chocolate see below)
- 200g/7ozs. butter
- 6 eggs, at room temperature, separated
- 175g/6ozs. caster or superfine sugar
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee powder
Chocolate Mousse Layer
- 100g/3.5ozs. dark chocolate (I used a guanaja chocolate see below)
- 3 eggs, separated
To top:
- 1 orange, sliced
- 125ml/4flozs honey
- Dark chocolate shavings
Step 1 - Slice the orange and soak in honey in a container and keep in the fridge. Grease and line a 20cm/8inch springform pan and preheat oven to 180C/350F. In a large bowl, melt the chocolate and butter together and mix until smooth. Whisk the egg yolks together and mix into the chocolate mixture along with the coffee powder. Set aside and allow to cool for a few minutes while you do the rest.
Step 2 - In a clean bowl with clean beaters whisk the egg whites until foamy. Then add the sugar and whisk until you get soft (not stiff) peaks. Place a quarter of this meringue mixture into the chocolate mixture and fold to incorporate. Add the rest of the meringue in 3 lots making sure to fold gently but make sure there are no streaks. Scoop into the prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool and don't worry if it collapses in the centre, it's supposed to. Cool completely.
Step 3 - Make the mousse. Melt chocolate in large bowl over a double boiler or in a microwave until smooth. Whisk in the egg yolks until combined and set aside to cool while you whisk the whites.
Step 4 - In the clean bowl of an electric mixer whisk the egg whites until they reach stiff peaks. With a clean spoon or ladle, scoop out a third of the egg whites and using a large metal spoon, fold the whites into the chocolate mix. Add the next 1/3 of the whites and then the rest making sure that you don't add in any liquid egg white at the bottom. If there is any, return the bowl to the mixer and whisk again to get stiff peaks.
Step 5 - Spoon into the cake hollow and smooth over and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (the mousse will be quite soft at first but then set firmly). I've made this with the cream mousse (above pic) and the egg white mousse and the cream mousse is stiffer and the cake can be eaten straight away. Top with the orange slices soaked in honey (I also drizzle all of the honey in the container over the cake) and fresh cream.