Chocolate Fudge Mocha Mousse Cake

If there are such things as clouds in heaven, they must taste and feel like this. Just with a subtle hint of coffee, and a base of chocolate fudge brownie, this mocha mousse cake will have you coming back for more for certain. It has a airy yet smooth and very light coffee mousse topped with cocoa powder, all resting upon a base of fudgey chocolate brownie.
Now here's a little word of praise to the person who inspired me to create this delicious dessert.
He's my little brother-in-law, and I find him most inspiring in the kitchen. He's only 15 and already a culinary whiz, making curries like a pro and thinking a little outside the box.
He spoke for a while about making a brownie based cheesecake, and it got my mind cartwheeling with ideas. Why hadn't I thought of that? Anyway, this is the cake that originally came to mind. Chocolate, coffee, fudge, mousse. I'm not sure flavour and texture combos get better than that.
It is meant to be.
And on another note, don't you just love this gorgeous stencil I used to make the pattern on the cake with cocoa? I found mine on ebay (the store doesn't sell them anymore though) but if you want to effortlessly jazz up you cakes you can find similar ones here! (or if you're crafty, make your own with a doily and starch. The doily must be made firm, for removal's sake.)

CHOCOLATE FUDGE MOCHA MOUSSE CAKE (A Lick The Spoon Original)

BASE:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 tsp salt

MOUSSE:
2 tbsp. gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
1 cup chocolate chips
1 tbsp (or 3 tsp.) instant coffee
6 egg whites
1 cup caster sugar
2 cups cream
1 tbsp. cocoa powder to garnish

Preheat your oven to 180C.
Melt butter and remove from heat. Stir through the cocoa and brown sugar until combined.
Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Next, blend in the flour and salt. Spoon the batter into a greased and lined 20cm springform pan. (Make sure the sides are lined also right to the top of the pan.) Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
To make the mousse filling, place water in a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and sit for 5 minutes to soften. Add the coffee and place on low heat, stirring until the coffee has dissolved. Turn off the heat and leave on the stove top. Ina  microwave proof bowl, place the chocolate chips. Microwave for 20 seconds at a time, removing to stir after each time until thoroughly melted. Add the melted chocolate to the coffee mixture and stir until incorporated.
In a medium bowl whip the cream into stiff peaks. Set aside.
In a large, clean and dry bowl, place the egg whites. Beat the egg whites until they form firm peaks, adding the sugar gradually along the way, until thick and glossy.
Fold the whipped cream into the egg whites.
Fold the chocolate coffee mixture into the egg white and cream mixture until well combined.
Spoon the mousse onto the brownie base and smooth the surface. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until set.

Serves 10

Coffee Layered Lamington Cake

Australians have a lot to be proud of when it comes to desserts. The famous Pavlova, the Peach Melba, Lamingtons, Golden Syrup Dumplings, Vanilla Slice. We'll pop the good old Anzac biscuits in there too, and the list goes on with all sorts of amazing iconic delights.
I love tradition, but I love tradition with a twist even more. It spices life up, and we all need that on occasion. How does coffee layered Lamington cake sound? This was a huge hit when I made it to celebrate my mother-in-law's retirement, and despite the sound of it and the list of ingredients, its quite simple to make.
Scared of trying to make a sponge cake? This was the first sponge I ever attempted, and truth me told I was besides myself with worry it would be a flat, hard lump of detestable grossness. Everyone says sponge cakes are the hardest cakes to get right but this one is super easy...I'd say its just about fool proof (although Ive only made it twice!)
I will add though, that if you're one of those delightfully optimistic "chuck any amount in and it will do" type of bakers, a sponge cake probably isnt your friend. Sponges, needless to say, require some precision. If the recipe asks for a cupof flour, it means a full cup of flour, not one that come shy of the top a few centremetres. You know what I mean. Just follow the yellow brick road and you will have something to brag about in a good hour or two.
There was a woman my family was in connection with who made the most fantastic sponge cakes. No one dared compete with her, and to every event she was requested to make that delicious airy sponge cake. She never parted with the recipe and no one ever challenged her. So you can see my apprehension in daring to make a sponge cake was high. Nothing could compare to that cloud of fluff she made. But this cake, if I may blow my horn a little, is very much in danger of becoming a requested party cake also. In fact, who needs a party as an excuse to indulge a little? Go on, you know you want to!

COFFEE LAYERED LAMINGTON CAKE
(adapted from Taste.com)

200g butter, room temperature
1 cup caster sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
2 tbsp. milk
1 cup extra coconut

FILLING:

1 heaped tbsp. instant coffee granules
2 heaped tbsp. cocoa powder
1/4 cup boiling water
2 cups icing sugar, sifted

GANACHE:

1 cup thin cream
200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

To make the ganache, combine the cream and chocolate in a saucepan over a medium low heat. Stir with a metal spoon until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is combined and smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Place in the fridge for a few hours until the mixture has thickened and is a spreadable consistency.

Preheat the oven to 170C. Line two 20cm (base measurement) pans with non stick paper. Use a beater to beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat thoroughly after each addition until well combined. Add vanilla and beat through the mixture.
Sift the flour and baking powder over the butter mixture. Use a metal spoon and fold until combined. fold in the 1/2 cup of coconut and milk. Divide among the two pans and smooth the tops with the back of a spoon. Bake for 30 minutes or until the surfaces are dry to touch and the cakes spring back when lightly pressed. Set aside in the pans for 5 minutes before turning onto racks to cool completely.
Meanwhile, to make the cake filling, combine boiling water with the coffee granules and stir until smooth and well dissolved. Sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder together in a medium bowl and then add the coffee mixture. This should make a thin icing to go between the layers of cake.
Use a large serrated knife to cut each cake horizontally in half. Spread the thin icing on each layer except the top, and stack each cake one upon the other.Spread the top and sides evenly with ganache. Sprinkle over the ganache the extra coconut, pressing it gently to the sides until well covered. Serve with cream, if desired.

Serves 10

Coconut hides so many faults!!

Tradition with a Twist

Christmas has crept up with amazing stealth this year, if you ask me. Where did the last six months go? I feel like I've just finished Christmas shopping from last year and am still a bit clueless for this year. Hmmm. Baking?
I think a nicely boxed batch of shortbread could never go astray in anyone's household around this time of year, and it gives the gift a personal touch if you make it yourself. Homemade shortbread. It couldn't get much better.
Except, it does.
Once you try out this traditional shortbread recipe with a twist, you'll be hooked!
Not only is it totally delicious, it is a very smooth shortbread, and can be jazzed up by being rolled in sugar or drenched in chocolate. Yum! No crumbling with this one, and you're sure to get rave reviews from your recipients!

 

COFFEE SHORTBREAD

250g butter, at room temperature

1 cup icing sugar

5 tsp. instant coffee

4 tsp. hot water

2 3/4 cups plain flour

Chocolate to drizzle

Preheat oven at 180C. 

With an electric beater, mix butter and icing sugar until it becomes light and fluffy.

Dissolve coffee in water and beat into the mixture. Stir in the flour until well combined.

Roll dough into walnut-sized balls and press with a fork onto greased and lined trays. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and crisp. Set aside to cool before drizzling or dipping in chocolate.

Makes 30.