Chocolate mousse cake

The fudgy consistency of this cake and the silken texture of the tofu mousse are delicious combination.

Ingredients:

250 g good quality chocolate,
200 g butter,
1 tbsp coffee powder, dissolved in 1 tbsp boiling water
6 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cup caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla essence
1 1/2 cup gluten-free flour mix (or normal flour)


Preheat oven to 180C. Spray 2 23 cm spring-form cake tins with baking spray and line with baker paper.

Melt chocolate and butter over a gentle heat until melted but not too hot. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until pale and fluffy. Slow add egg whites in 4 lots. This process takes about 10 minutes but it is worth it. Add vanilla, coffee and flour on a very low speed then gradually beat in the chocolate mixture.

Carefully pour into the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cover tins with a damp tea towel to trap the steam and keep the crust soft. Cool in the tins.

For the mousse:

300 g chocolate,
640 g silken tofu (must be silken)
1/2 cup simple sugar syrup (or 50 ml maple syrup, or 50ml liquid honey, or 50 ml agave nectar )
1 leaf gelatin (optional)

Simple sugar syrup is made up of 2 parts of sugar and 1 part of water. Bring the water to boil, dissolve the sugar into the boiling water, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat once sugar is dissolved completely. Allow to cool before use.

To make the mousse, melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in microwave. Place silken tofu and sugar syrup in the blender or food processor. Blend until smooth add the melted chocolate and blend again. I also added 1 leaf gelatin dissolved in 2 tbsp of water.

To assemble, slice the top of the cakes to form even surface. Line the original spring-form with cling film, allowing a good overhang. Place one cake into the bottom, covet with a thick layer of mousse, add the second cake and finish with remaining mousse . Fold the cling film over or cover with a dinner plate and refrigerate for 4 hour or overnight.

To serve, remove from the tin, transfer to serving platter and smooth the sides of the cake with a palette knife. Decorate with fresh seasonal fruit or berries, ganache or topping of your choice.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Tofu, Nori & Walnut Butter

This Japanese-inspired dish may sound strange but the three components – baked sweet potatoes, grilled marinated tofu and whipped butter – add up to a rich dish, which can be served as a first course, or add a salad for a vegetarian meal or light lunch. Carnivores can use chicken breast and the same marinade instead of tofu.

Ingredients
6 small orange sweet potatoes, well washed
600g tofu in blocks
3 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce
4 tablespoons sake
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1½ sheets nori
150g butter, softened but not melted
¼ cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
salt to taste
3 tablespoons soy bean oil

Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the kumara on a baking tray and bake for 1 hour until very tender when pierced with a skewer. Remove from the oven.

Meanwhile, wrap the tofu in 4 layers of paper towels, rest 2 plates on top and set aside for 30 minutes. This will squeeze out some of the moisture so it will be firmer and easier to handle.

Remove the towels and dice the tofu into 3cm cubes. Place in a shallow glass, china or stainless steel dish just big enough to hold it.

Put the honey, soy, sake and garlic in a small saucepan and warm, stirring, until the honey dissolves. Cool then pour over the tofu. Marinate, turning occasionally, for 15 minutes.

Toast the nori by quickly dragging it across a very low gas flame or electric element until fragrant and beginning to shrivel and become crisp. Slice into very thin strips with scissors.

Place 3⁄4 of the nori (reserve the remainder for garnish) and the butter in a food processor and process until well whipped. Stir in the walnuts. Taste and season with salt if necessary. Place in a bowl and reserve.

Remove the tofu from the marinade, discarding the garlic. Grill over low to moderate heat on an oiled grill or barbecue, brushing occasionally with the leftover marinade, for about 3-4 minutes each side until well browned.

Slice each hot kumara in half lengthwise. Serve the tofu on the flesh side of the kumara with the butter and nori garnish on top. Serves 6.



Enjoy!