death by chocolate – My Whisk and I

Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake

September 22, 2022September 21, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Base:
200g chocolate biscuits
55g brown sugar
100g butter, melted

Mousse-cheesecake:
120g chocolate, chopped
900g cream cheese, room temperature
15ml cocoa powder, sifted
375ml sugar
10ml vanilla
4 eggs
375ml cream
60ml icing sugar, sifted

Chocolate Ganache:
320g chocolate, chopped
300g cream

For the base:
Place the biscuits in a food processor and process to a fine crumb.
Spoon the biscuit crumbs into a mixing bowl and add the sugar and melted butter.
Mix together until it resembles wet sand.
Spoon the mixture into a 23cm loose-bottom cake tin and press evenly over the base.
Place in the refrigerator.

For the mousse-cheesecake:
Preheat your oven to 150℃.
Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and allow to melt until completely smooth.
Add the cream cheese, chocolate, cocoa powder and sugar to a mixing bowl and whisk with an electric mixer until incorporated.
Add the vanilla and eggs and whisk until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Set aside.
Add the cream to another mixing bowl and sift the icing sugar into the bowl.
Whisk until the cream develops a mousse-y texture and soft peaks form.
Fold the cream into the cream cheese mixture – do this in 3-4 batches. Fold until just incorporated.
Pour the cheesecake mixture into the cake tin with the biscuit base. Smooth the top and give the cake tin a jiggle to let out any air bubbles.
Place the cake tin soon top of a sheet of aluminium foil and fold the foil up the sides on the outside of the tin. Place the cake tin into a roasting pan and fill the pan with 2,5cm of hot water.
Bake the cake for 70 minutes. Check and refill the water in the roasting tin every 20 or so during baking.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and immediately run a sharp knife around the outside of the cake to release it from the tin.
Allow the cheesecake to cool completely before removing the tin ring.

For the ganache:
Add the cream to a small saucepan and warm it.
Remove from the heat, add the chocolate and stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
Set the cheesecake on a wire cooling rack, inside a baking sheet and pour the ganache over the cake.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

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Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake

November 17, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

220g best quality dark chocolate (I use De Villiers Chocolate), chopped
125g butter, cubed
5 eggs, separated
190ml sugar
10ml vanilla
2,5ml salt
30ml cocoa powder

Preheat your oven to 170℃ and spray a 22cm loose bottom cake pan with cooking spray. Dust the pan with cocoa powder ensuring the bottom and sides of the pan has an even coating of cocoa powder. Set aside.
Add the chocolate and butter to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir every now and then until the chocolate has melted completely and the mixture has amalgamated.
Take the bowl from the heat and set aside to cool.
Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Beat the whites on medium until it reaches soft peak stage.
Increase the mixers speed and add the sugar a spoonful at a time.
Beat until medium stiff peaks and set aside.
Add the egg yolks, one at a time, to the chocolate mixture and beat well with a spatula after each addition.
Add the vanilla, salt and cocoa powder and mix together.
Now fold in the egg whites by adding a third of the mixture at a time. Mix/fold until no white streaks are visible.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it around evenly.
Bake for 50 minutes. The edges of the cake will pull away from the sides of the pan once it is done.
Cool the cake in the pan before unmoulding it.
Dust with icing sugar and serve.

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Triple Chocolate Mousse

October 21, 2021October 20, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

150g milk chocolate, chopped
45ml boiling water
7,5ml powdered gelatine
3 eggs, separated
375ml whipping cream
150g milk chocolate, chopped
150g dark chocolate, chopped

Line a 22cm x 11cm loaf tin with plastic wrap, leaving enough plastic to make an overhang (so that you can fold it on top of the mousse later on). Tip: wet the loaf tin before lining it – the water will help the plastic “stick” to the the tin.
Add the white chocolate to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with simmering water and allow the chocolate to melt. Remove from the heat, give it a good stir and set it aside for about 5 minutes to cool.
Add 15ml of the boiling water to a small cup and sprinkle 2,5ml of the gelatine over. Stir the mixture continuously until the gelatine has dissolved completely – about 2 minutes of constant stirring.
Add the gelatine and one egg yolk to the melted chocolate and stir to combine.
Add 125ml cream to a mixing bowl and beat with electric beaters until soft peaks form.
Add the cream to the chocolate mixture and stir through until combined.
Add one egg white to a clean mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until soft peaks form
Fold the egg white into the chocolate mixture with a spatula.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and refrigerate for 1 hour or until the white chocolate layer is set.

Repeat the process with the milk chocolate and half of the remaining ingredients.
Pour over the white chocolate mousse and place back in the refrigerator for another hour or until set.

Repeat with the dark chocolate and the remaining ingredients.
Pour over the milk chocolate layer and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 6 hours.

Serve the mousse with a chocolate sauce or plenty of berries.

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Chocolate Pots

July 8, 2021June 22, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This traditional dessert, also known as Pots de Crème, is super easy to make. It is a rich and creamy no-bake dessert and most of all, it is deliciously smooth and not airy like a mousse. I serve this dessert in espresso cups as I find a larger serving too rich and overwhelming. This recipe yields 10 espresso-cup servings or 6 individual servings in standard ramekins.

250ml cream
100ml milk
160g dark chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa, chopped
40g brown sugar
3 egg yolks
5ml vanilla

Pour the cream and milk into a saucepan and slowly bring it to a simmer.
Take the saucepan from the heat the moment it starts to simmer.
Add the chopped chocolate and stir the mixture until the chocolate has melted completely.
Add the sugar, egg yolks and vanilla to a mixing bowl and whisk with electric beaters until pale and fluffy.
Drizzle the chocolate mixture onto the egg mixture, whisking continuously. Remember: pour slowly, whisk quickly! Keep going until you have added all of the chocolate mixture.
Divide the mixture between ramekins/espresso cups and allow to cool completely.
Place the cups on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour or until you are ready to serve.
I serve my chocolate pots as they are but this dessert is often served with Chantilly cream.

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Chocolate and Pear Tart

July 1, 2021June 19, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Chocolate and pear is a match made in heaven and with this delicious chocolate pastry as a base, few desserts will be able to compare to this tart!

Poached pears:
3 ripe pears
750ml water
250ml sugar
15ml lemon juice

Chocolate pastry:
80g dark chocolate, at least 70% cocoa
175g butter, cubed
230g caster sugar
4 egg yolks
10ml vanilla
15ml milk
50g cocoa powder
350g cake flour

Chocolate frangipane:
120g dark chocolate, at least 70% cocoa
120g butter, cubed
120g caster sugar
5ml vanilla
2 eggs
125g ground almonds
25g flour

Poaching the pears:
Pour the water into a small saucepan and add the sugar and lemon juice.
Turn the heat on to medium and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Peel, halve and core the pears and add to the poaching liquid.
Cut a square of baking paper that is large enough to cover the saucepan. Scrunch the paper up and then slide it down into the saucepan until it touches the poaching liquid.
Bring the poaching liquid to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently until a wooden skewer can easily be inserted into the pear quarters.
Turn off the heat and allow the fruit to cool in the poaching liquid.
Remove the pear once it has cooled and keep aside.
Simmer the poaching liquid until it reduces to a syrup. Reserve this to glaze the tart with once it comes from the oven.

For the chocolate pastry:
Chop and melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl is not in contact with the water.
Stir until silky smooth and completely melted.
Take the bowl from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
Add the cubed butter, sugar, egg yolks, vanilla and milk to the bowl of a food processor and blitz together.
Pour in the slightly cooled chocolate and pulse to blend in.
Sift the cocoa powder and flour into the chocolate mixture and blitz until the mixture comes together in a smooth ball of pastry.
Wrap the pastry with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for one hour.

Lightly spray a tart tin with baking spray.
Roll the pastry to a thickness of 3mm and line the baking tin on the bottom and sides.
Place the pastry case into the freezer for 1 hour.

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Line the pastry case with baking paper and baking beans and bake for 15 minutes.
Set aside to cool.

For the chocolate frangipane:
Keep your oven on 180℃.
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl is not in contact with the water. Stir until completely melted. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the vanilla and the eggs and beat together, scraping down once or twice, until well blended.
Add the almonds and flour and fold into the egg mixture with a spatula.
Pour in the melted chocolate and stir once again to incorporate, with the spatula.
Spread the frangipane mixture onto the baked pastry case.
Slice the pears and position each sliced half onto the chocolate frangipane, spacing it so that there is enough space for all of the pear.
Bake the tart for 45 minutes.
Remove from the oven and brush the reduced poaching liquid (syrup) onto the warm tart.
Allow to cool in the baking mould.
Serve with a sprinkling of icing sugar or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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Chocolate Cake with Prunes

May 7, 2021May 3, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

If you like chocolate and you like prunes, this flourless cake is what you have been waiting for!

400g prunes
200ml Port or Madeira
30g granulated sugar

For the prunes:
Add the prunes, port and sugar to a small saucepan and place on medium heat.
Stir to dissolve the sugar and then allow the mixture to simmer on a medium to low heat until the liquid is reduced to a syrup.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside to cool.

340g dark chocolate, chopped
170g butter, cubed
80g sugar
200g cooled prunes (from the mixture you have made above)
6 eggs, separated
1,2ml salt

Preheat your oven to 170℃.
Grease a 22cm loose-bottom cake tin and dust the bottom and sides with cocoa powder.
Add the chopped chocolate and butter to a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Allow to melt, stirring occasionally until completely melted and smooth.
Add half the sugar (40g) to the chocolate mixture and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the bowl from the saucepan.
Now take 200g of the prunes from the port syrup, drain and chop into small pieces and add these to the chocolate mixture.
Allow the mixture to cool for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate and stir to combine.

Add the egg whites and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Whisk the whites until they form soft peaks.
Now start adding the remaining half of the sugar, a teaspoon at a time, with the machine running.
The whites should hold their shape and be glossy.
Spoon a third of the whites into the chocolate mixture and stir it through to slacken the chocolate.
Fold the rest of the whites into the mixture with a metal spoon, until there are no white streaks left.
Gently pour the batter into the prepared cake tine and bake for 45 minutes.
Cool the cake in the baking tin.
Serve with the remaining prunes in the syrup.