Orange scented Manjari chocolate mousse wrapped in a striped sponge with citrus fruit salad & chocolate & orange sorbets.

Special Equipment

Tiling adhesive spreader - square notches
12" length of plastic pipe about 1 ½" diameter
Acetate sheet.

Ingredients

Manjari Chocolate mousse
Striped sponge
Chocolate Sorbet
Orange Sorbet
Tuile Baskets
Mixed citrus fruit - orange, blood orange, grapefruit, clementine etc.

Method

Trim the sponge to 12" x 5" approx. Invert the sponge (striped side down) and spread on a thin layer of the reserved mousse. If required soften the mousse slightly to make a sticky consistency.

Remove the mousse from the tube by pulling out with the baking paper. Peel off the baking paper. Wrap the mousse in the sponge, trimming as necessary.

Using a sharp knife square off the ends. Cut the tube into four pieces, by first cutting in the middle at 90° and then halve each of the two pieces at 45° .

Cut the citrus fruit into segments, making sure all the pith is removed.

Assembly

Stand a mousse on each of the plates, place a tuile basket alongside. Fill with a scoop of chocolate sorbet. Add an orange sorbet cone and top with a chocolate zig-zag. Arrange the pieces of citrus fruit salad around.

Orange Sorbet Cones

130g sugar
50ml water
1 tsp orange zest, grated
350ml fresh orange juice

Method

Bring the sugar, zest and water to the boil. Allow to cool completely then add the orange juice. Strain and churn in an ice-cream maker.

Make four cones (4" x 1½") out of acetate and fill with the sorbet. Place in the freezer.

Chocolate Sorbet

200ml water
50ml milk
60g sugar
30g liquid glucose
60g Manjari chocolate, chopped

Method

Bring all the ingredients, except the chocolate, to the boil. Pour over the chocolate and stir with a whisk until completely amalgamated. Strain and leave to cool. Churn in an ice-cream maker.

Tuile Baskets

100g soft unsalted butter
100g icing sugar, sifted
100g egg whites - about 3 large, at room temperature
75g flour, sifted
½ tsp. finely grated orange zest

Method

Mix the softened butter and icing sugar until well combined. Slowly add the egg whites while mixing and then the flour and zest. Mix until you have a smooth paste.

Place teaspoonful’s onto a non-stick baking tray and spread out to make 4" circles. Bake at 180° C for about 4 minutes. Immediately lift off the tray and mould over the base of a small ramekin or glass to make a basket.

Manjari Chocolate Mousse

125g Valrhona Manjari Chocolate - or good dark chocolate
3 egg whites
60g caster sugar
2 egg yolks
75ml whipping cream, lightly whipped
1tsp finely grated orange zest mixed with 1tbs Cointreau

Method

Line the plastic pipe with grease-proof paper. Cap one of the ends.

Chop the chocolate and melt in a bowl over hot water. Use some of the melted chocolate to pipe small zig zags on to a piece of acetate.

Whisk the egg whites until risen then while still whisking slowly add the sugar. Continue whisking until firm.

Mix the yolks with the orange zest & Cointreau. Stir the yolks, then the cream into the melted chocolate. Fold in the egg whites.

Reserve a little of the mousse for later. Using a piping pag, pipe the rest of the mousse into the prepared plastic pipe and freeze for about 1 hour.

Chocolate Paste

50g butter
50g icing sugar
55g egg white - about 2
80g flour, sifted
2 tbs. cocoa powder

Method

Cream the butter and icing sugar. Slowly add the egg white until well combined. Mix in the flour and cocoa.

Spread the paste onto a baking tray covered with silicone paper so that it covers a 13" x 8" square. Scrape off half of the paste using the tile adhesive spreader. You will end up with a set of chocolate stripes.

Freeze for about 30 minutes.

Striped Sponge

40g icing sugar
40g ground almonds
1 egg + 1 egg white
5g caster sugar
8g butter, melted & cooled
10g flour

Method

Pre heat oven to 250° C

Beat the icing sugar, almonds & whole egg until ribbon consistency. In a separate bowl beat egg white and sugar until well risen & firm.

Fold the butter then flour into the whole egg mixture. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the whole eggs to loosen, then gently fold in the rest. Don’t over mix.

Using a palette knife spread the mixture over the chocolate paste ribbons to a thickness of about 3-5 mm.

Bake for about 3 mins until the sponge is just firm to the touch. Don’t overcook or it will be too dry. Dust the top of the sponge lightly with flour and invert onto a piece of grease-proof paper. Allow to cool slightly then carefully remove the silicone paper.