serves
12
prep
50 minutes
cook
35 minutes
difficulty
Mid
serves
12
people
preparation
50
minutes
cooking
35
minutes
difficulty
Mid
level
Ingredients
- 150 g unsalted butter, chopped
- 200 g dark chocolate, chopped
- 4 eggs, separated
- 110 g (½ cup) caster sugar
- 200 g almond meal, sifted
Peanut mousse
- 250 g packet cream cheese, softened
- 250 ml (1 cup) dulce de leche (see Note) or tinned caramel
- 140 g (½ cup) crunchy peanut butter
- 125 ml (½ cup) thickened cream, whisked to soft peaks
- 50 g (⅓ cup) salted peanuts, roughly chopped
Chocolate glaze
- 200 g dark chocolate, chopped
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp thickened cream
- 1 tbsp glucose syrup
Chilling time 4 hours
You will need a 32 cm x 7.5 cm x 8 cm loaf pan for this recipe.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 150°C. Grease and line base and sides of a 32 cm x 7.5 cm x 8 cm loaf pan. Fill a small saucepan one-third full with water and bring to a gentle simmer. Place butter and chocolate in a small heatproof bowl, place over pan and stir until chocolate has melted (don’t let the bowl touch the water). Remove pan from heat and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool.
Place egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk until thick and pale. Fold in cooled chocolate mixture. Using an electric mixer, whisk egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold almond meal into chocolate mixture then, working in 2 batches, fold in egg whites. Pour mixture into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30 minutes or until the surface is just firm. Remove from oven and leave to cool completely in pan.
Meanwhile, to make peanut mousse, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add dulce de leche and continue beating until thick and combined, then add peanut butter and mix to combine. Fold in whipped cream, then spread mixture in an even layer over cake. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
To make chocolate glaze, fill a small saucepan one-third full with water and bring to a gentle simmer. Place all ingredients in a small heatproof bowl, place over pan and stir until smooth and glossy (don’t let the bowl touch the water). Set aside to cool slightly.
To assemble, remove cake from fridge, loosen edges with a knife and carefully turn out onto a clean board. Turn over so that peanut mousse is facing upwards. Place on a cake rack set over a tray. Scatter chopped peanuts over mousse, then pour chocolate glaze over cake, spreading with a palette knife to completely cover top and sides. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until chocolate has set. Serve cut into thick slices.
Note
• Dulce de leche is caramelised milk from South American food shops.
• Dulce de leche is caramelised milk from South American food shops.
Photography Mark Roper
As seen in Feast magazine, October 2013, Issue 25.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
