Here’s definitely one for the weekend – one of my favourite desserts, which also happens to be packed with protein and lots of yummy dark chocolate. But is it a cake or a mousse? You decide.
What this hybrid mousse cake lacks in looks, it more than makes up for in taste. And although it’s not sugar free, the protein punch from the eggs means that a little goes a long way (take note hubby). It’s also gluten free.
It’s adapted from a James Martin recipe.
Ingredients
300g good quality dark chocolate (I use Green & Blacks cooks chocolate)
15og unsalted butter
5og unrefined caster sugar
6 large free-range eggs, separated.
1 tsp vanilla extract
(Grease and line a deep, 9″ round cake tin)
(Pre-heat oven to Gas Mark 4, 18o degrees)
Method
Slowly melt chocolate and butter together and then add the vanilla extract
Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites with half the sugar until stiff.
In a separate bowl beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar for 30 seconds.
before mixing with the yolk mixture. You’ll need to work quickly now since the cooling chocolate will start to go stiff.
Mix 1/3 of the egg whites with the chocolate mixture to loosen it before carefully folding in the remaining egg white. Make sure you incorporate all the sticky chocolatey bits from the bottom of the bowl.
Pop the mixture in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Once cooked, allow to cool for a while in the tin before turning out to a cooling rack. Do not be alarmed. It will look beautifully cake like on removal from the oven but soon sinks in the middle.
Eat this cake at room temperature, just don’t put it in the fridge or it will go stiff. I tend to make it at lunchtime for an evening dinner.
Et voila! The resulting cake is heavenly with chantilly cream or some lightly sweetened mascarpone.
If you like this chocolate cake recipe, check out Karen’s Chocolate Polenta Cake, another winner.
Karen is a Pilates Instructor and Writer based in Epping Essex. Karen co-directs Fit School with husband Chris.