So pretty yet so simple to make, the chocolate spiral takes this dessert from beautiful to stunning in just a few seconds.
Inside the dessert are layers of chocolate cake, salted caramel, caramel creme brûlée and chocolate mousse. I had to draw you a picture because they had all been eaten before I remembered to take a photo.
To make this chocolate spiral dessert you will need:
Chocolate cake
makes enough for 12 desserts
2 egg whites or approx 72g (2.54 ounces)
20g (0.71 ounces) or 1.5 Tbsp sugar
5 medium egg yolks or approx 75g (2.65 ounces)
80g (2.82 ounces) or 1/3 cup plus 2 tsp sugar
30g (1.06 ounces) or 1/4 cup cocoa powder
40g (1.41 ounces) or 1/4 cup flour (all purpose)
30g (1.06 ounces) or 2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp margarine or butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 180C (356 degrees Fahrenheit).
Add the first amount of sugar to the whites and whip them until you get soft peaks. Add the other sugar to the yolks and whip them until they are pale and fluffy. Fold in about one third of the whites then sift the flour and cocoa over the top. Start to fold then add the rest of the whites and fold together.
Take a quarter of this mixture and combine with the melted butter. Then add this back into the rest folding gently until just combined.
Pour into a lined baking tray, spread out and bake for around 10 minutes or until firm.
Vanilla Syrup
75g (2.65 ounces) or 1/3 cup sugar
110ml or 1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp vanilla
Combine all the ingredients and heat until the sugar is dissolved.
Caramel Creme Brûlée
makes enough for 12 desserts
40g (1.41 ounces) or 3 Tbsp sugar
100mL (3.38 fluid ounces) or 1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp full (4% fat) milk
100mL (3.38 fluid ounces) or 1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp cream (35% fat)
6 egg yolks or approx 90g (3.17 ounces)
25g (0.88 ounces) or 2 Tbsp sugar
2 sheets of gelatin
Soak the gelatin sheets in water to soften
Brown the sugar to form a caramel the add the milk and cream, stir until the caramel is dissolved.
Whip together the yolks and remaining sugar. Then whisk in a small amount of the hot milk mixture. Add this back into the pan and heat until you an see it is just starting to cling to the base of the pan. Add the gelatin and remove from the heat. Pour into a lined tray and freeze overnight.
Salted Caramel Recipe
(makes enough for 12 desserts with plenty left to eat)
200g (7.05 ounces) or 1 cup less 1 Tbsp sugar
100g (3.53 ounces) or 1/2 cup less 1 Tbsp cream (35% fat)
120g (4.23 ounces) or 1/2 cup plus 1 tsp margarine
1g (0.04 ounces) or a pinch of sea salt
Make a caramel with the sugar. Add the salt and cream. Stir in the margarine then continue to heat until a small amount dropped into a glass is sufficiently thick to form a soft blob.
Chocolate Mousse recipe
(makes enough for 24 desserts)
15g (0.53 ounces) or 1 Tbsp water
90g (3.17 ounces) or 1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp and 1 tsp sugar
3 egg yolks or approx 45g (1.59 ounces)
2 whole eggs
210g (7.41 ounces) dark chocolate
300mL (10.14 fluid ounces) or 1¼ cup less 1 Tbsp cream (35% fat)
Beat the eggs and egg yolks on high until they become fluffy and pale. Place the sugar and water into a pan and heat until 244F (117.78 degrees Celsius) on a candy thermometer. Then pour that into the egg mixture with the mixers running, until the side of the bowl feels cool. Whip the cream to soft peaks, fold in your melted chocolate, then add your egg mixture and fold it all together.
Chocolate mirror glaze recipe
Makes more than you need, store the excess in a ziplock bag in the freezer.
20g (0.71 ounces) or 1Tbsp and 1tsp powdered gelatin bloomed in 90g (3.17 ounces) or 1/3 cup cold water
200g (7.05 ounces) or 3/4 cup plus 1Tbsp and 1tsp cream (35% fat)
300g (10.58 ounces) or 1 1/3 cup plus 1Tbsp sugar
90g (3.17 ounces) or 1/3 cup additional water
100g (3.53 ounces) or 3/4 cup plus 1Tbsp and 1tsp cocoa powder
250g (8.82 ounces) or 2/3 cup plus 2tsp glucose syrup
Pour the gelatin into the water, stir in and set aside to bloom. Put the sugar, additional water and cream into a bowl and heat until sugar is dissolved. Sift in the cocoa powder, making sure there are no lumps, then whisk in really well. Add the bloomed gelatin, stir until it has melted in. Lastly add the glucose syrup and stir in. Allow the glaze to cool down before pouring it on top of the dessert.
Stores that sell my book listed by country: http://bit.ly/ARcookbookAll recipe quantities in the book are in grams, ounces and cups.
