The Grounds Easter Chocolate Mousse and Raspberry Layer Cake

The Grounds Easter Chocolate Mousse and Raspberry Layer Cake

This Easter, The Grounds of Alexandria are offering Easter Cake Decorating Masterclasses. Their team of dedicated Pastry chefs will be sharing their top tips to help you prepare a spectacular 4-tiered layer cake for your guests.

Masterclasses will be held in The Bakery on Wednesdays 5th and 12th, and Thursdays 6th and 13th April.

For more details visit  http://thegrounds.com.au/Spaces/easter/#cake.

 

Recipe:

 

A decadent layer cake of chocolate sponge, chocolate mousse and fresh raspberries, finished with a chocolate spray and delicate elderflowers, greenery and gold dusted easter eggs.

Available at The Grounds of Alexandria Cafe until Easter Sunday. $18

Makes: 4 small round cakes (each cake serves 2-4)

Ingredients:

 

Chocolate Sponge:
120g unsalted butter
200g whole eggs
135g caster sugar
60g all purpose flour
240g dark chocolate

Mousseux Dark Chocolate:
170g pouring cream
45g caster sugar
28g gelatine masse (made with 4g gelatine and 24g water)
125g dark chocolate
375g whipped cream

To Assemble:
Fresh raspberries
Cocoa butter, optional
Dark chocolate, optional

Method:

 
For the Sponge:
Preheat oven to 180 °C. Line two 30cm x 20cm baking pans.

In a bain marie, melt the chocolate and butter. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, whip the eggs and sugar using a whisk attachment until soft peaks form.
Slowly add the chocolate and butter mixture to the whipped eggs until fully incorporated,
Then add the flour and mix until fully incorporated.
Split batter evenly between the two baking pans and bake for 10 minutes.
Allow cakes to cool on a wire rack.

For the Mousseux:
Heat pouring cream and sugar in a small saucepan until sugar has completely dissolved.
In a large bowl, combine the chocolate and gelatine masse.
Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate and stir until fully combined and chocolate has melted.

Allow the mixture to cool to 35°C.
Add the whipped cream and stir to fully combine.

To Assemble:
Using a 9cm round cutter, cut six rounds from each sponge cake slab. Take four rounds to use as your cake bases.
Spread enough mousseux mixture onto each base to cover the cake, Sprinkle with fresh raspberries.
Place another cake round on top and repeat step 2 for the second layer.
Place final cake round on top and spread remaining mousseux to cover the top of the cake.

At The Grounds we finish our Easter layer cakes with a stunning chocolate velvet spray. If you do own a textured spray gun, we use a 1:1 ratio of cocoa butter and chocolate to achieve the perfect finish for our cakes. If not, you can serve your beautiful layer cakes as is in a -naked' style, or top with a melted chocolate drizzle and more fresh raspberries for a little extra indulgence.

As a finishing touch we've styled our cakes with fresh florals, miniature speckled eggs and our textured -Golden Egg'. You can recreate the golden finish at home by painting a chocolate egg with gold lustre dust mixed with a small amount of spirits.