Showstopping Chocolate Mousse
It’s National Chocolate Week this October and to celebrate, we commissioned a recipe from the Winner of the Great British Bake Off Professionals, Erica Sangiorgi. It’s one to practice, and it’ll win gasps of delight from your guests.
Erica joined the team at The Grove following her TV success. Her illustrious career includes working the Kimpton Fitzroy Hotel, Royal Albert Hall, Dominique Ansel Bakery and Harrods, after leaving her home country of Italy. Follow Erica on Instagram @ericasangiorgibakes
“For this recipe I have been inspired by my love of tea in desserts. A nice Lapsang Souchong smoked tea will work perfectly with this chocolate combination. Have fun and enjoy!”
Erica Sangiori, Pastry Chef
Ingredients
| For the milk chocolate mousse: | For the vanilla sable: |
| 78g milk | 158g sugar |
| 78g cream | 79g ground almond |
| 31g sugar | 316g butter |
| 62g egg yolk | 396g flour |
| 252g milk chocolate | 47g whole eggs |
| 62g dark chocolate | 2g salt |
| 437g semi whipped cream | 1 vanilla pod |
| For the chocolate glaze: | For the smoked tea ganache: |
| 100ml water | 25g assam tea |
| 345g sugar | 530g cream |
| 15 gelatine leaf | 222g dark chocolate (64% minimum) |
| 225g whipping cream | 340g gianduja |
| 120g glucose | |
| 130g cocoa powder |
Method
| 1. | To make the sable, pour all the dry ingredients and butter into a mixing bowl and beat until the crumbs are like sand. Add the egg and mix until a dough is formed, then cover with cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for 1 hour. |
| 2. | For the ganache, make the infusion with the assam tea and cream by bringing to the boil and leaving to infuse for 20 mins. Once infused, bring back to the boil then strain out the tea and pour over the chocolate and Gianduja and mix will to form a silky ganache. Set the ganache in either a lined baking tray or shallow ice cube moulds and freeze. |
| 3. | For the mousse, boil the cream, milk and vanilla then pour over the egg yolks and sugar and mix well. Return to the pan and cook until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Once the Anglaise cream is cooked, pour it onto the chocolate and mix till smooth. Allow the mix to cool to body temperature and gently fold in the semi whipped cream, creating a light airy mousse. |
| 4. | Pipe the mousse into metal rings (or even a glass if you do not have rings available) then push one of the frozen smoked tea ganache cubes into the centre and smooth over. The ganache cube must be fully covered or it will leak out. Place the rings into the freezer to set, or if you have used glasses, place these in the fridge. |
| 5. | Pre-soak the gelatine leaf in cold water. |
| 6. | Now to make the shiny chocolate glaze: heat the water, sugar, cream and glucose. Once boiled, add the cocoa powder and return to the boil. Remove from the heat and allow the temperature to drop till 60oC. Once at 60oC , add the drained gelatine leaf to the mix, strain the mix and allow to set in the fridge. |
| 7. | Whilst the glaze is setting roll out the sable dough to roughly 5mm and cut disks just slightly bigger than your mousse rings. Place the disks onto a baking tray and bake at 170oC till nicely golden. |
| 8. | Now the tricky part… The construction!Melt in the microwave the chocolate glaze till 360c and mix till smooth trying not to incorporate any bubbles. De-mould the mousse from the rings by rubbing the metal and pushing slightly from the bottom – the mousse will glide out once the slightly warmed. Place the mousse onto a cooling rack then pour the glaze over the top making sure the mousse is fully covered and no gaps are showing. |
| 9. | Then lift the mousse quickly whilst still frozen onto the cool sable biscuit and leave to defrost in the fridge until needed. |
| 10. | Finish with a chocolate garnish of your choosing. For some added glam, use a little gold leaf! |
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