This recipe is from Woodland Bakery
Since the recipe has a chocolate mousse as well as whipped cream and cherry filling, which most versions don't have,feel free to fill the cake with just Cherry filling or just cream. Both the mousse and the cake comes from the Crumb Boss her self, but I personally made the cherry filling. When I went shopping for the ingredients at Woolworths I couldn't really find a cherry filling that was suitable. Instead I bought some Morello Cherries in a jar and used them instead. Fresh cherry would be a great option as well, but just keep in mind that the filling will take much longer to cook.
The Chocolate Mousse is a full recipe and will make a lot(2 Qts). If you only want it for this cake I recommend to half the chocolate mousse recipe. Otherwise the mousse is great by itself so if you are going to make the full recipe you can pipe them into little jars to serve on the side. Great option for a birthday party.
Ingredients
1- Chocolate Mousse - Full
- 450g Semi Sweet Baking Chocolate
-1/2 cup Hot Water
-1 tablespoon Dark Rum I(Optional - I left it out)
**If not using rum add 1 Tablespoon more of hot water
-5 Egg Whites
- 2 tablespoons Sugar
-2 cups Heavy Cream
4- Chocolate Cake- Makes Two layers
-3/4 cup Semi Sweet Baking Chocolate
- 4 tablespoons Cocoa Powder (24g)
- 1/2 cup Hot Water
- 170g Unsalted Butter at room temp. (or softened)
- 4 Whole Large Eggs (room temp.)
- 2 Large Egg Yolks (room temp. use yolks leftover from the chocolate mousse)
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla
- 1/2 cup Yogurt
- 1/2 Milk
-1 3/4 Self Rising Flour
3- Cherry Filling - Used in 1 Layers
- 3/4 of a 670 g can - Morello Cherries ( or any canned cherries)
- 1/4 cup Sugar
-1/2 cup water
-2 tablespoons Corn starch
5- Whipped Cream
-2 cups Heavy cream / Thickened Cream
- 1/4 cup icing sugar (Optional I leave it out)
4- Decoration
Extra 50 g Chocolate
Extra Cherries
Method
The Chocolate Mousse needs to be made first because of chilling the time of (at least 2 hrs) or you can make it in advance. Up to 2-3 days earlier.
- Melt chocolate in a large bowl
- Add the hot water and whisk vigorously so it is incorporated (* Optional Add rum after this step)
- In a mixing bowl add the egg whites and with a whisk attachment, whop eggs until they are foamy, then slowly add the sugar (a little at a time so the mixture doesn't deflate)
- When you reach medium-firm peaks you are done(making sure not to over whip to a "Styrofoam" texture because it will not incorporate probably.
- In a another bowl whip the cream til they are medium-firm peaks. ( Don't over whip)
- Take 1/4 of the egg whites, folding it into the chocolate mixture. The mixture should be a bit lighter now. Then whisk in the rest of the egg whites.
- After that do the same with the whipped cream, adding a small portion, then the rest and gently fold the mixture.
- Gently fold so that the whole mixture til it comes
- Cover bowl with cling wrap
- Refrigerate
Cherry Filling is simple and is best if made on the same day your making the cake. It is a self made recipe, nothing fancy, but can be substituted for a store bought filling (if you can find one I couldn't) or another recipe you prefer
- Drain the cherries from the jar. ( You can alter the amount depending on how much you want to put in your cake) Place them in a medium saucepan with the water, over a medium- high temp.
- Bring the mixture to a slow simmer and add the sugar in.
- Stir occupationally and slightly squash the cherries with the back of the spoon (creates more of a filling rather then cooked cherries).
- Let the filling simmer to boil until the liquid has reduced by half. At that point add the cornstarch in and stir,
- Continue to cook until the mixture has reduced liquid and is slightly thick. (Like a chunky jam)
- Take of the heat and let the mixture cool to room temp, it should thicken slightly during the cooling process
The Chocolate Cake can be made in advance by baking the cake and freezing it in a couple of layers with cling wrap and aluminum foil. It can last in the freezer up to 2 months if well wrapped. When creating the cake you can leave it frozen, if using it the next day or let it thaw out. **Makes 2 thick layers.
- Pre-heat the oven to 160C Fan forced or 180C Normal. Line two 20 cm cake pans (or 8" cake pans) with baking paper and grease the sides.
- In a mixing bowl add the eggs and egg yolks , with the whisk attachment on high speed whip until it is foamy. Once its foamy, slowly add the sugar, sprinkling it in. The end result should be thick, pale in color and you should be able to do a figure 8 and see it for a few seconds. *This process should take about 5 mins
- In the meantime melt the chocolate.
- Sift the flour,set aside and in a small bowl/ cup combine the milk and yogurt.
- Using another bowl add the cocoa powder to the hot water , whisk til smooth and add the melted chocolate. Lastly add the softened butter and vanilla, whisk until everything is combined.
- By now your eggs should be ready, now will be the time to add your chocolate mixture into the whipped eggs. Whisk until its incorporated (30 sec)
- At this point add you are going tot alternate between the dry and liquid mixture. Begin with the dry adding 1/3 approx. then 1/2 the liquid. so Dry- Liquid-Dry-Liquid-Dry. In between each addition mix only till incorporated
- Pour batter into cake pans and bake for approx. 30-40 mins or until you stick a knife in the center and it comes out clean.
- Leave in pan for 5 mins, then remove and cool on wire rack.
The Decoration, finally the last bit, pull it all together and make it look like something someone would want to eat.
Chocolate Shards & Curls
- Melt chocolate, and spread thinly across a sheet of baking paper. ( Keep in mind that this isn't tempered so you won't get that "perfect" snap but is still great. Feel free to temper the chocolate but this is a quick way of make some chocolate shards)
- Let it cool (5 mins) Til harden, then simple snap the sheet into pieces
For the Curls simple shave off the edge of a block of chocolate with a peeler
Cherries:
- Drain some extra cherries ( I used one for every swirl on the top of the cake )
- Place them some paper towel and pat dry
Whipped Cream: Make just before assembling
- Pour cold heavy cream into a clean bowl and whip till stiff peaks be care not to over beat your cream.*** If using the icing sugar sift it in when reached soft peaks and then continue to whip until stiff peaks form
Putting it all together!
- Cut each layer into two, creating four layer all together. Trim cake if lope sided or has a dome.
- Place first layer of cake down on a spin table or plate,make a border of whipped cream around the edge
- Fill the center with chocolate mouse
- Place another layer of cake
- Make another border of whipped cream
- Fill with cherry filling
- Another layer of cake
- Border of whipped cream
- Fill with either more cherry or mousse (I used mousse)
- Place the last layer on
- Pile 3/4 of the rest of the whipped cream on the top and using a spatula to cover the cake with the cream, add more or take off some if needed.
- With the rest of the cream place in a piling bag and pipe swirls on the top, around the edge.
- Place a cherry on each swirl and cover sides with chocolate shards
*** Optional use trimmed cake pieces crumbed up in the center or just place chocolate swirls/ shards
The Last Cut Piece - It went very quickly at my church lunch
DONE !! Store in the refrigerator because of the cream. Lasts a few days in the fridge but is best on the day made or the next day.
"Baking is only fun when you lick the spoon" -
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