You may need to burn a few calories after tackling my favourite easy cake, the chocolate mousse cake. Rich, buttery and intense with high cocoa content, it is a crowd pleaser pretty much all of the time. I love the chestnut version; so seasonal and a brilliant alternative for Christmas pudding for chocolate lovers. But I also love almonds, and with ground almonds surely being a staple cupboard ingredient for everybody, you can whip one of these up in no time.
Chocolate and Almond Mousse Cake
Feeds 8
250g 70-80% chocolate
250g butter
200g ground almonds
50g sliced almonds
5 eggs
100g caster sugar
1 vanilla pod, split and seeded (optional)
1 - Preheat the oven to 180C/GM4.
2 - Break up the chocolate and put into a heatproof bowl along with the butter. Place over a pan of water and bring to the boil until the chocolate and butter have melted.
3 - Separate the eggs. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, vanilla seeds and sugar until pale. Stir in the chocolate and butter and then finally, gently fold in the ground almonds and the sliced almonds.
4 - Whisk the egg whites until they reach 'soft peak' stage, or you can hold the bowl upside down and nothing falls out. Gently fold into the mixture.
5 - Grease and paper a 20cm spring form cake tin. Pour in the cake mixture, then place on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the cake is still slightly wobbly and the surface has cracked.
6 - Remove and rest until cool. Decorate with cocoa powder and a handful of sliced almonds.
15 comments:
Wow - that's got to be good for anyone's soul. In fact, I defy anyone to eat some of that and still be miserable!
This would of course mske me forget all about the problems of the world David.
Great word!
That chocolate cake looks gorgeous. I read in the news earlier this week how suger makes people happy and I totally agree. Find me a person who doesn't smile when they are presented with a cake!
That would cheer me up any day, any time! :)
David, from what I hear from my family Miserabilism has spread across the Channel to Germany as well, and my friend in France has seen it appear over theretoo. ;) With a cake like that I'm sure it can all be overcome though!
lovely stuff mate, will be trying this one out
I love your new word, I hope you don't mind if I half inch it? You cake looks and sounds scrummy too, the perfect cure.
Love that word Miserabilism!
WOW David what a gorgeous chocolate cake!! It looks so temptingly divine mmmmm....
Rosie x
What a gorgeous recipe :) David, your wonderful cake seems to have conquered any miserable thoughts your readers may have had :) Hopefully food will help solve the Miserabilism every where - First the blogosphere, then the world!!!
I was just revisiting to see if my comment had appeared as my internet connection died the other night when I was leaving one, so I wasn't sure if it went through. I cannot remember my exact wording, but I am sure it could be summed up by yum, yum, yum :P
Great new word - I might have to nick it!
Hopefully the score last night will have perked you up - considering the travesty twelve minutes in I think you did very well!
Miserabilism. I love it. Almost as much as the cake. :)
Stuff the economy - I want chocolate mousse cake! yep, groun almonds are always hangng around the place and I could do with a new way to use em up. Luscious.
I would love to tuck my dessert fork into this treat! It sounds fabulous. :-)
I hope I don't have to be glum to try this cake because you said chestnuts and something clicked for me. Sounds like an amazing combination.
I'm sure this cake is a good way to make friends! :)
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