Dark Chocolate Coconut Passion Fruit Mousse Cake Food

DARK CHOCOLATE, COCONUT & PASSION FRUIT MOUSSE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm cake tins with baking parchment - if your cake tins are quite shallow, line the sides to a depth of at least 5cm. Put the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, sugar and 1 tsp salt in a bowl and mix well. If there are any lumps in the sugar, squeeze these through your fingers to break them up.
• Measure the buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla in a jug. Add the egg and whisk until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until well combined. Pour the cake mixture evenly into the two tins, and bake for 25-30 mins until risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tins for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack, peel off the baking parchment and leave to cool. These sponges can be made up to three days ahead and will stay moist if wrapped in cling film, or you can wrap well and freeze for up to two months.
• To make the mousse, put the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water, one at a time, so they don't stick together. Set aside for 5 mins to soften. Scoop the pulp and seeds from the passion fruit into a sieve suspended over a bowl, and push through the juice - you should have about 100ml. Put 1 tbsp of the seeds in a small bowl and set aside. Save 2 small empty passion fruit halves and discard the rest.
• Pour the coconut cream, passion fruit juice and sugar into a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut rum liqueur. Add the gelatine to the hot liquid, a leaf at a time, squeezing out the water before you add them. Stir until the gelatine has dissolved. Fill each reserved passion fruit half with some of the mixture, place in a small dish and chill until needed. Leave the remaining mixture to cool to room temperature. Pour the double cream into a large bowl and whip until it's holding its shape. Add half the passion fruit mixture, fold together, then add the remaining mixture and fold through again.
• Line a deep 20cm cake tin with a double layer of cling film. Slice each sponge in half through the middle and drizzle each layer with 1 tbsp coconut rum liqueur. Place one of the layers into the tin, flat-side down, and spread with a third of the passion fruit mousse - don't worry if a little trickles down the sides. Layer the remaining sponges and mousse on top, finishing with a layer of cake. Cover the top of the cake with cling film and chill for at least 4 hrs, or preferably overnight.
• When the cake has chilled and the mousse is set, turn out onto a cake stand, so the base now becomes the top, and remove the cling film. Using a palette knife, scrape any passion fruit mousse off the edges of the cake, to give it a smooth surface. Place the cake back in the fridge while you prepare the ganache.
• Put the chocolate and cream in a pan and gently heat, stirring now and then, to make a runny chocolate sauce. Leave to firm up at room temperature until it reaches a spreadable consistency.
• Remove the cake from the fridge. Spread the ganache over the top and sides of the cake with a palette knife until completely covered. Decorate with a ring of toasted coconut shavings, if you like. Remove the filled passion fruit shells from the fridge and place these on top too, topped with the reserved passion fruit seeds. Chill until ready to serve, but bring out of the fridge 1 hr before slicing (don't forget to serve the passion fruit jellies to your favourite guests too). Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 2 days.

PASSIONFRUIT MOUSSE CAKE

Steps:

• Assembly: Line 2 (6-inch) ring molds with acetate band. Line rings with strips of biscuit joconde. Place a circle of chocolate biscuit on bottom of rings. Divide mango filling between rings. Top each ring with 7 tablespoons of mousse and top with a chocolate meringue disc. Fill rings with mousse and freeze for 15 minutes. Top with additional mousse and freeze. Unmold and spray with chocolate and refrigerate.
• Combine almond flour, confectioners sugar and flour. Add eggs and whip on high speed for 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar and whip to medium peaks. Fold in egg whites. Spread onto 2 parchment lined baking sheets. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 7 minutes, cool and cut into 1-inch strips.
• Using a paddle attachment on medium speed, cream butter, confectioners sugar and cocoa powder until fluffy about 5 minutes. Gradually add yolks and eggs, continue to mix until combined. Add warm chocolate. Whip egg whites to soft peaks, add sugar gradually and whip into stiff peaks. Fold egg whites into chocolate mixture. Spread onto 2 sheet pans lined with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 9 minutes. Cool and cut into 5 1/2-inch circles.
• Combine mango and lime juice, set aside. Caramelize sugar, add butter, mango and vanilla. Saute for 2 minutes, cool completely.
• Whip egg whites into soft peaks. Cook sugar, corn syrup and water until 240 degrees Fahrenheit. Slowly add sugar and continue to whip on high speed into stiff peaks, set aside. Combine purees and bring to a boil. Ribbon yolks and sugar, temper with purees and cook until 185 degrees F. Add gelatin, strain, cool and fold in half of the whipped cream. Fold remaining cream into egg whites. Fold mixtures together and use immediately.
• Whip egg whites to soft peaks. Cook sugar, corn syrup and water to 240 degrees F. Slowly add sugar to egg whites and continue to whip into stiff peaks. Fold in cocoa powder. Pipe 8 spiral 6-inch circles onto parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 212-degree oven for 1 hour. Cool and spread both sides with cocoa butter.
• Combine warm cocoa butter and coloring. Pour over chocolate and stir. Strain and place in spray gun, use immediately.

CHOCOLATE, COCONUT & CARDAMOM FRIDGE MOUSSE CAKE

Steps:

• Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of just-simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Stir in the ground cardamom.
• Whip the cream to soft peaks, then fold through the yogurt, coconut cream, coffee and maple syrup. Mix in the biscuits and cherries (it might seize a bit, but don't worry). Fold through the chocolate until well incorporated (this may take a couple of mins - I like to use a silicone spatula). Pour the mixture into a lined 900g loaf tin, and cover and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hrs. Cut into slices and serve.

DARK CHOCOLATE & PASSION FRUIT TART

Steps:

• Sift the flour, icing sugar, cocoa and ½ tsp salt into a bowl. Rub the butter in with your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks along with 2 tbsp ice-cold water, and continue to mix with your hands until a soft dough forms. Alternatively, pulse the ingredients together in a food processor. Wrap the dough and chill for at least 1 hr. Will keep chilled for up to two days.
• Line the base of a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin with baking parchment. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin, then use it to line the tart tin, pressing it up the side and leaving some overhanging. Cover and chill for another 1 hr.
• Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Line the pastry with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake for 20 mins. Remove the beans and parchment and bake for 20 mins more until crisp. Leave to cool completely, then use a sharp knife to trim the excess pastry.
• To make the curd, put the passion fruit pulp in a food processor and blitz to separate the seeds and flesh. Push through a sieve over a medium saucepan, then discard the seeds. Tip in the remaining ingredients and set the pan over a low heat. Whisk until the butter has melted, then, using a wooden spoon, stir until the curd has thickened, about 10 mins. (Don't turn up the heat to speed up the process, as the eggs will curdle.) Stir well, especially at the edge, as this is where the curd can catch. Sieve into a bowl, leave to cool, then spoon into the case. Chill the filled tart for 30 mins.
• To make the ganache, melt the chocolate, cream, sugar and a pinch of sea salt in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water, stirring until glossy and thick. Remove from the heat, leave to cool for 15 mins, then pour over the curd layer. Scatter over the cocoa nibs, if using, then chill for at least 4 hrs, or overnight. Dust with cocoa, then slice and serve with crème fraîche.