Chocolate and Blackberry Mousse Cake

The addition of edible flowers and mini macaroons propel this mousse cake to gloriously indulgent levels

1. For the chocolate sponge biscuit, grease and line the brownie tin with non-stick baking paper. Put the egg whites into a free standing mixer bowl or, if using an electric hand whisk, place in a large glass bowl. Whisk until stiff peaks.

2. Gradually whisk in the caster sugar and continue to whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Whisk in the vanilla bean paste. Continue to whisk and add in the whole eggs, one at a time.

3. Blitz the almonds, icing sugar, and cocoa powder in a food processor to a smooth powder. Fold into the egg mixture using a large metal spoon.

4. Pour the chocolate batter into the lined baking tray. Steam at 100°C for 5 minutes. Once cooked, leave to one side to cool.

5. For the blackberry cremeux, place the blackberries and water into a small saucepan. Cook for five minutes or until the blackberries have broken down. Pass the blackberries through a fine sieve, to remove the seeds. Return the blackberry puree to the saucepan on a medium heat. Add the butter, and whisk until melted.

6. Whisk the caster sugar and eggs yolks together in a medium bowl. Pour the blackberry mixture over the egg and sugar whilst continually whisking.

7. Return to the pan and cook on a low heat until the blackberry cremeux is thick and coats the back of the spoon. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and leave to cool completely. Once cool, remove a few tablespoons of the cremeux and set aside for garnishing, fold in the whipped cream to the remainder of the cremeux in the bowl. Leave in the fridge.

8. For the mousse, place the caster sugar in a small pan and 200g of whipping cream in another. Start to melt the sugar on a medium heat until a light caramel colour and allow the cream to warm up.

9. Once the sugar has caramelised gradually add the cream to the sugar to deglaze the pan. Then add the glucose syrup. Pour the hot mixture over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate has completely melted. Allow to cool slightly.

10. Fold the whipped cream into the cooled chocolate mixture.

11. Stretch cling film over one open side of the pastry ring, making sure the cling film is smooth. Add another layer, just to make sure the mousse doesn’t leak. Place, cling film side down, on to a baking tray. Pour the mousse mixture into the pastry ring.

12. Cut two 10cm discs of chocolate sponge. Spread three tablespoons of the cremeux onto one of the discs, placing the second disc on top. Place the sponge in the centre of the mousse and push it down gently so it all comes level with the top of the mousse.

13. Place into the freezer and leave to freeze overnight.

14. Once frozen, carefully remove from the pastry ring by pushing the cake out, or lightly warm the edge of the ring using a blow torch. Place back into freezer for 30 minutes.

15. Prepare the chocolate by melting the chocolate and cocoa butter together. Make sure the mixture is at 45°C before placing into the spray gun.

16. Place the cake on a small ramekin and spray the cake with chocolate, whilst continually turning. If a chocolate spray gun is not available, then dust the cake with cocoa powder. Transfer the cake to a serving platter before fully defrosted.

17. Transfer the remaining cremeux to a piping bag. Pipe 1 cm dot of the cremeux onto 5 flat sides of the mini macarons. Place the remaining macaron shell on top of the cremeux to sandwich.

18. Arrange the macarons on the top of the cake followed by the blackberries (see picture). Pipe dots of the cremeux around the blackberries and macarons. Sprinkle with edible flower petals and freeze dried raspberries. Finish with gold leaf.

Food Tips:

• The chocolate sponge biscuit can, as an alternative, be cooked in the Miele oven on Moisture plus function 150°C with 2 burst of steam.

• Use different fruit flavours for the blackberry cremeux such as raspberry or passionfruit.