Chocolate Mousse Cake with Salted Caramel

A friend and I have been asked to make the wedding cakes of two friends, no mean feat, so we've taken to the task seriously and come up with three solid cakes to be presented on the big day. One of which is this delicious chocolate mousse cake with an unctuous salted caramel icing, which was requested by the bride to be.

Variations of this cake are like an old friend - I've been making it for at least five years, whether plain, sandwiched with raspberry cream or here, covered in a delicious salted caramel. It's deceptively easy to prepare and bake but takes a little time to get the right results.

After baking the cake can be kept out of the fridge, where it will remain fluffy and voluminous or it can be left in the fridge, where it becomes fudgy and decadent. We're opting for the second method here, but to have the option between the two proves how veritable this rich bitch really is.

I've experimented with using flavoured chocolate when making this cake, orange chocolate works particularly well and if you are going to experiment with fillings - make sure it is a robust flavour or it will be lost in the chocolate abyss.

NB. This cake is gluten free.

Chocolate Mousse Cake with Salted Caramel

Chocolate mousse cake

2 tbsp ground almonds, plus extra for dusting
600g dark chocolate (feel free to experiment with different kinds)
550g caster sugar 

330g unsalted butter
Pinch salt
10 large eggs

Salted Caramel

75g unsalted butter

50g light brown sugar

50g caster sugar

50g golden syrup

1 tsp good sea salt

125 ml double cream

Preheat oven to 180c, line bottom of 2 tins with grease proof paper, brush tins with a little melted butter and dust with ground almonds then shake off the excess. 

Melt chocolate, sugar, butter and salt in a heatproof bowl over a simmering pan of water, be careful that the bowl doesn’t touch the water. 

Then remove from the heat. Whisk the eggs with the almonds for 5 - 10 mins and fold into the chocolate mixture till glossy. Divide equally between 2 cake tins and bake individually for 35 – 40 minutes. 

Remove the sides of the tin and leave to cool for a few minutes then remove form the bottom of the tin and remove the grease proof paper and cool on a wire rack. Once both cakes are cooled leave them in the fridge for a few hours. 

For the salted caramel put all ingredients apart from cream and salt in a ban and bring to the boil, swirling as they melt together.

Boil for three minutes, turn off the heat and mix the cream in with a wooden spoon and add the salt. This is the time to check for how salty you like your caramel, I added an extra 1/4 tsp because as the caramel cools, the taste will be muted.

Boil for another minute and leave to cool. When the cakes are ready to be assembled, pour a small amount of the caramel over the base of the first cake in order to secure the top layer, then drizzle liberally for best results.

Spiced Cranberry and Apple Chutney

I remember the first time I had cranberry juice, it was before the manufacturers started heaving shed-loads of sugar in to it and it turned my mouth inside out. This sour chutney won't do this as it is lifted by the sugar, the apple juice and the sweet spices and is given a rounded flavour with the apple and onion.

This takes less than an hour and is a doddle. Don't be scared by making chutney. The only thing you have to remember is turn on your extractor fan - the vinegar can permeate a house for days and no one likes that. Although my mum used to treat us to a vinegary miasma at least twice a year when I was younger, maybe she does like it.

This will be great on a festive leftover sandwich, ideal on a cheeseboard and livens up a lacklustre tagine.

Spiced Cranberry and Apple Chutney

600g fresh cranberries
500ml red wine vinegar
2 large onions, chopped
3 sour apples, cored and chopped
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
big pinch sea salt
250g brown sugar
50ml apple juice

Chuck all the ingredients in to a pan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and stir.

Cook for 45 minutes stirring occasionally until sauce-like,  make sure it's not too thick.

Pour into some sterilised jars and seal.

Wait at least a month before eating.

Stuffed Risotto Balls (Aranchini)

The first time Squirrelface took me to Italy we went to Rome in the middle of May so it wasn't too hot for my Northern skin, and we dined on lots of different streetfoods and the one that stuck with me the most was aranchini.

These balls of stuffed and deep-fried risotto are beyond delicious as well as bieng moreish and versatile. The fillings on offer were so varied - you could have swordfish, aubergine Parmesan, ragu, carbonara, squid - it was exhaustive if not exhausting.

I wouldn't normally recommend making the risotto for the specially, it seems a bit of a long process to make something, admittedly delicious, but not unrivalled in something simple and quick. I made risotto last night and had about half left over so naturally I thought about these little balls of indulgence.

I stuffed them with low fat Mozarella, black olives and preserved tomatoes and coated them with wholemeal breadcrumbs, feel free to experiment but the stuffing needs to be firm and the aranchini will need to be chilled prior to cooking so they don't fall apart.

Stuffed Risotto Balls (Aranchini)

Take a small handful of your left over risotto and make an indent in it with your thumb then place in the mozzarella and a few pieces of preserved tomato and olive.

Carefully close the rice around the filling until there is no filling visible (if you need to use more rice to patch up the holes do so) and gently roll in to a ball, then place on a greased baking tray.

Repeat this process until you have no rice or no filling left and leave the risotto balls in the fridge for at least an hour – they need to firm up after being handled or they may fall apart.

Beat one egg until frothy in a small bowl and then put 3 slices worth of breadcrumbs in another bowl, season generously.

Heat a tbsp oil in a big, heavy based non-stick frying pan. Roll a ball of risotto in egg and then in breadcrumbs and fry, do this in batches of two as they’re easy to burn. A minute or so on each side should be all they need. Use your hands to manoeuvre them round the pan so that all sides are crisp.

Transfer to a baking sheet and leave in a warm oven until finished.

They are great served eaten by hand, if you want an accompaniment any kind of tomato sauce or mayonnaise for dipping would gild the lily without breaking the stem.

Smoked Duck and Roasted Sweet Pepper Pizza

I've been experimenting with no-rise pizza dough, which is pretty much the same as the two ingredient flat bread but rolled out to pizza size, but I've been having some trouble getting it crispy all the way through. I can't really justify buying a pizza stone right now but with a pizza shaped baking tin, a very hot oven with a very hot baking sheet I've managed to get  a crisp crust and a well cooked middle.

Squirrelface approves and as you all know, when it comes to Italian cooking if Squirrelface approves I feel like I've done a great job. I found the delicious sliced smoked duck I mention in Punchy Smoked Duck Stir Fry this morning, which melds beautifully with the smoky roasted sweet peppers and salty-sharp black olives.

I won't tell you how to top a pizza, you can do it however you want. I will tell you how to make a Kick-Ass Multi-Use Tomato Sauce you can double or triple up on and freeze. I added oregano as it's a pizza herb for me.

This is an easy and adaptable base for mid-week cooking and eating that will taste better and be better for you than any supermarket bought pizza.

Smoked Duck and Roasted Sweet Pepper Pizza

1 potion Kick-Ass Multi-Use Tomato Sauce

1 portion no rise pizza dough

1 ball low fat Mozzarella

5 thin slices smoked duck, snipped up with kitchen scissors

1 sweet red pepper, skinned and finely chopped.

Hand full black olives

Put a large, flat baking sheet in your oven  and preheat at top temperature.

Mix together flatread ingredients with your hands and roll out on a floured surface.

Transfer to a floured baking tray, I used a round one with holes in, and roll until the dough is evenly distributed.

Top with tomato sauce and then whatever it is you’d like on your pizza.

Pop in the oven and leave for  5 – 6 minutes and then turn the pizza around 180 degrees and then bake for another 5-6 minutes.

The heat of the oven will differ from appliance to appliance – what you’re aiming for is golden brown crispy crust, bubbling cheese and tomato sauce.

Kick-Ass Multi-Use Tomato Sauce

A good tomato sauce is a lifesaver when you're tired and can't be bothered leaving home for something delicious but nutritious. It's one of the quickest and easiest things to knock up with store cupboard ingredients and utilise in any way you want.

My mum taught me how to do this when I was in my mid teens, on those rare occasions when we talked during my adolescence it was about food, now we talk about other things too but still share a passion for cooking and food.

You can embellish this sauce with whatever you like for a bit of variation. A few suggestions that can be added on their own or in different combinations:

A tsp of French mustard
A tsbp of vinegar
A glass of red or white wine
Fresh or dried herbs
Chilli

Ad infinitum.

Keeps in the fridge for a good 3-5 days and freezer for an age. Recipe easily doubled.

Kick-Ass Multi-Use Tomato Sauce

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 onion, diced

1 fat garlic clove (or two medium)

1 tbsp tomato purée

A pinch of sugar

! tbsp oil

Salt & pepper

Fry onion in oil for 5-7 mins or until translucent.

Add garlic and cook for a further 2 mins, be careful not to brown it or it will go bitter.

Add chopped tomatoes, purée, sugar and any additions you wish and simmer for 10 mins.

Serve as you wish.

Healthier Cauliflower & Macaroni Cheese

I made some parsnip, Cheddar and mustard tarts the night before last but didn't blog them so I thought I'd recreate some of the flavours and create a slightly healthier version of a winter warmer - macaroni cheese.

This week's veg box supplied us with a nice big head of cauliflower, which gave me some food for thought as I've seen so many interesting recipes and ideas using it in different ways recently. I was tempted to experiment on cauliflower rice, lemon pudding and cake but in the end it seemed like an old favourite with a healthy twist was called for.

By using half milk/half water and infusing the mixture with garlic, bay and peppercorns to make the cheese sauce and using mustard to flavour the sauce meant I used much less cheese that a usual macaroni cheese would call for. The use of cauliflower bulks the dish up without using carbs and adds a lightness to a sometimes very stodgy dish.

You can serve it as soon as you've poured the sauce over if you're short on time, grill it until the cheese bubbles or bake it so the sauce infuses into the pasta and cauliflower and the flavours mingle.

Healthier Cauliflower & Macaroni Cheese

Serves 2

1 head cauliflower
130g pasta
60g Cheddar cheese
1/2 pint semi-skimmed milk
1/2 pint water
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 bay leaves
5 black peppercorns
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper

Pre heat the oven to 200c/Gas Mark 6 if baking.

Bring milk, water, garlic, bay and peppercorns to a simmer in a heavy bottomed pan then leave to stand with the lid on.

Break cauliflower into florets and wash in cold water, steam in a colander over the boiling pan of pasta for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the roux by melting the butter over a medium heat and whisking in the flour for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat.

Strain the infused milk to remove the aromatics and whisk into the roux until smooth and put back on the heat and whisk until it thickens, around 3 - 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in 25g of cheese and the mustard.

Remove cauliflower from colander and put in baking dish, drain the macaroni in the colander and add to baking dish, mix and then coat in sauce and mix again. Top with the remaining 35g cheese, season and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until lightly browned and bubbling.

Roasted Beetroot with Soft Cheese Mousse and Sprout Tops

Beetroot needs a creamy foil, well - I think it tastes good with a creamy foil. The beetroot's earthy sweetness gets carried and mingles with a soft and salty cheese but isn't muted. A hunk of cheese and a whopping great beetroot might be someone's ideal but not mine.

Instead with a little bit of finesse with a leftover egg-white, some seasoning and something green, sprout tops in this case thanks to my veg bag from Local Greens (insert link), makes for a pleasing on the plate and pleasing on the palette meal.

I love the simplicity of winter vegetables, in the same way as summer veg can be made in to a delicious salad with a simple dressing, winter veg can be gussied up with a hot oven to expose their sweetness. Last week one dinner was swede and carrots roasted with some fried onions and kale and dressed in a lemon spiked bean dip thinned out with yogurt and tahini.

Dairy + roasted winter veg = match made in heaven. If you need the carbs then a hefty slice of walnut bread would go excellently.

Roasted Beetroot with Soft Cheese Mousse and Sprout Tops

1 large beetroot
1 egg white
200g soft cheese
150g sprout tops (any other dark green will work well)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 150C/Gas mark 2. Scrub the beetroot of any earth and rinse clean. Wrap in foil and leave on the middle shelf of the oven for around 4 hours. Once the skin is slightly wrinkled and comes away when you pull it means it is done.

Whip the egg white to stiff peaks with a pinch of salt. Set aside.

Whip the cream cheese with salt, pepper and oregano and then fold in a third of the egg white mixture until combined. Then fold in the remaining egg whites gently. Transfer to a small bowl or ramekin, cover with cling film and leave in the fridge.

Remove the stalk form the middle of the greens, wash and then shred. Melt a nob of butter in a big heavy bottomed pan and cook on a low heat for about 10 minutes with the lid on, stirring occasionally.

Once the skin of the beetroot comes off and it is hot enough to handle, halve and then cut into semi-circles.

Put balsamic vinegar on a low heat until reduced by half. Turn off.

Make quenelles out of the mousse using wet metal table spoons.

Arrange the component parts on the plate as your wish and drizzle with the balsamic reduction - I think I spent too much time this week watching Masterchef - The Professionals - look at the slick...

We ate this with this walnut bread by James Martin but used half the ingredients and it was a delicious accompaniment.