A delicious Christmas family treat
Lee-Ann Matthew, owner of the Square Cup Café in Springs, shared her delicious recipe for a great Christmas dessert for the whole family.
Triple Choc Hazelnut Mousse cakes.
Serves eight
Ingredients:
3 eggs
¼ cup castor sugar
1 ½ tablespoons cocoa
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon boiling water
½ cup ground hazelnuts
2 tablespoons extra castor sugar
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons roasted whole hazelnuts
¾ cup whipped cream
200g dark chocolate, melted
100 milk chocolate, melted
Tiny silver balls
Berry Coulis ingredients:
Frozen mixed berries
Castor sugar
Method
Cake mixture:
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Grease a 28cm x 18cm pan and line with baking paper.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar together until thick and creamy.
4. Sift cocoa and flour over eggs, pour over boiling water and ground hazelnuts and fold in gently.
5. Spread gently into prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes or until spongy to touch.
6. Wait until cooled and turn out onto a clean surface covered with baking paper.
7. Lightly grease eight (6cm diameter x 4.5cm high) rings (clean tuna tins can also be used) and cut out eight circles from the cake.
8. Transfer the rings complete with the cake circles onto a baking tray covered with baking paper.
Praline:
1. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat.
3. Cook for five minutes or until sugar has dissolved.
4. Increase heat to high.
5. Bring to the boil, without stirring, for five minutes or until mixture turns golden.
6. Remove from heat and add hazelnuts.
7. Pour onto prepared tray and allow to cool.
8. Break praline into pieces and place in a food processor until finely ground.
Mousse:
1. Fold cream, dark chocolate and hazelnut praline carefully together.
2. Spoon mixture, dividing it evenly between rings, smoothing over the cake.
3. Refrigerate three hours or until set.
Top up the dessert using nice garnishes.
Chocolate garnish:
1. Place milk chocolate into a piping bag or zip lock bag.
2. Using scissors, make a small snip in the corner.
3. Drizzle chocolate over a baking tray lined with baking paper.
4. Continue drizzling in all directions until all the chocolate has been used, making a lacy pattern.
5. Sprinkle with small silver balls.
6. Refrigerate until set.
Berry Coulis:
1. Heat berries over medium heat.
2. Add castor sugar to taste until a thick syrup.
3. Strain through a sieve.
4. Serve with mousse.
Serve:
1. Use a hot cloth to carefully wipe around the cake rings.
2. Push the cake out of the rings carefully.
3. Place onto a serving plate.
4. Use a 5cm cutter to cut lace chocolate disks and place onto mousse cakes.
5. Serve with berry coulis.
