Chocolate Irish cream mousse cake
SERVES 12-16 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR (+ REFRIGERATION TIME) This recipe is best made a day ahead.
200g plain chocolate biscuits
⅓ cup (45g) slivered almonds, roasted
100g butter, melted
3 bamboo skewers
200g dark chocolate Melts gold and silver cachous, edible gold glitter
200g Ferrero Rocher
IRISH CREAM MOUSSE
200g milk chocolate, chopped
100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
2½ level teaspoons powdered gelatine
¼ cup (60ml) water
2 cups (500ml) cream
4 eggs
⅓ cup (75g) caster sugar
¼ cup (60ml) Irish cream liqueur 1 Grease a 20cm springform pan; line the base and side with baking paper, extending paper 3cm above side.
2 Pulse biscuits in a food processor until some small chunks remain. Transfer to a medium bowl; stir in almonds and butter. Press mixture lightly over base of pan using a glass. Refrigerate while preparing Irish Cream Mousse. 3 IRISH CREAM MOUSSE Meanwhile, melt chocolates in a large microwavesafe bowl on Medium (50%) in 30-second bursts, stirring between each to melt evenly. Sprinkle gelatine over water in a small bowl; microwave on Medium (50%) for 30 seconds or until dissolved. Whisk cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Whisk eggs and sugar in a separate bowl with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes or until pale and thick. Add gelatine mixture to chocolate, then fold in the egg mixture. Fold through the liqueur, quickly followed by cream.
4 Pour Irish Cream Mousse over biscuit base in pan; cover. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight until set.
5 Meanwhile, draw two sets of lines, 6cm apart, on a large piece of baking paper. Turn paper over and place skewers on one end, about 7cm apart. Melt chocolate and place in a plastic piping bag. Snip off the end of the bag to make a fine point. Pipe 12 tree shapes about 4cm wide at the base and the tip of the trees slightly above the top line. Sprinkle with cachous and glitter after piping three trees. Pipe another three larger tree shapes halfway up the skewers (about 6cm wide at base and 12cm-14cm tall); sprinkle trees with cachous and glitter after piping each one (Step 5, below). Stand or refrigerate for about 5 minutes or until firm. Trim skewers about 7cm from base of trees. 6 Remove cake from pan. Lightly press the smaller trees around the side of the cake. Insert the skewers into the cake; decorate cake with the Ferrero Rochers.
Not suitable to freeze. Chocolate suitable to microwave.