Chocolate mousse cake

Chocolate Mousse Cake

This is a great alternative to cheesecake. Can be served in individual ramekins but it’s also great served in one big bowl everyone can help themselves to!

Serves 8

For the biscuit base:

9oz/ 225g digestive biscuits

2 tbs cocoa powder

6oz/150g butter

For the mousse:

8oz/200g dark chocolate, chopped

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 tbs water

1oz/25g butter, diced

3 eggs, separated

¼ tsp cream of tartar

2oz/50g caster sugar

4 fl oz/ 125 ml double cream

Fresh fruit such as raspberries or strawberries, to decorate (optional)

1)      Firstly make the biscuit base: Melt the butter gently over a low heat. Meanwhile place the digestive biscuits in a freezer bag, or any other bag to hand, and bash the biscuits with a rolling pin until they resemble fine bread crumbs. Tip the biscuit crumbs into a bowl and sieve in the cocoa powder, stir to combine. Once the butter is melted stir into the biscuit crumbs until everything is thoroughly mixed together. Divide the biscuit mixture between eight individual glasses or ramekins. Allow to cool slightly before putting in the fridge to set.

2)      Secondly make the mousse: Melt the chocolate, vanilla extract and water together in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring every now and then until the mixture is smooth. Take off the heat and stir in the butter. Next beat in the egg yolks one by one, making sure they are well mixed in. Leave to cool whilst you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

3)      Whisk the egg white until they form soft peaks (test this by making peaks on the surface of the egg whites; they should be just thick enough to only just hold their shape but the mixture would fall out of the bowl if you tipped it above your head!) Add the cream of tartar and a spoonful of the caster sugar. Whisk until sugar and cream of tartar are mixed in. Continue whisking, adding a spoonful of caster sugar at a time, until all the sugar is incorporated and the egg whites form stiff peaks (this is when you can hold the bowl above your head and none of the mixture will drop out-this is a fun trick to play on housemates…) Beat a few tablespoons of this into the chocolate mixture.

4)      In another bowl whisk the cream to soft peaks (see tip in step 3). Add the cream and the rest of the egg whites to the chocolate mixture. Use a large metal spoon or a spatula to fold the egg whites and the cream into the chocolate mixture until all ingredients or thoroughly combined. Spoon the mixture on top of the biscuit bases, cover each individual glass or ramekin with cling film and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours.

Decorate with fresh fruit and grated white chocolate or just eat simply as it is.

Enjoy!