Raspberry Chocolate Cake
A chocolate mousse cake made using a half-moon mold, topped with chocolate mirror glaze and adorned with spiral chocolate and raspberries.
Ingredients
Eggs (M size)
2
Granulated sugar (for sponge cake)
60g
Cake flour (sifted twice)
50g
Cocoa powder (combined with the cake flour and sifted)
10g
Butter (unsalted butter)
15g
Raspberries (frozen whole, for the jelly)
75g
Granulated sugar (for the raspberry jelly)
20g
Lemon juice
5ml
Gelatin (for the raspberry jelly)
2g
Sweet chocolate (for the mousse)
130g
Water (for the chocolate mousse)
30g
Granulated sugar (for the chocolate mousse)
50g
Egg yolks
2
Egg (M size)
1
Heavy cream (35% milk fat, for the mousse)
200g
Syrup (raspberry-flavored syrup (→ p.4))
20ml
Cherry brandy
10ml
Raspberry liqueur
10ml
Water (for the chocolate mirror glaze)
100g
Heavy cream (35% milk fat, for the mirror glaze)
80g
Granulated sugar (for the mirror glaze)
120g
Cocoa powder (for the mirror glaze)
50g
Malt syrup
15g
Gelatin (for the mirror glaze)
4g
Raspberries (for decoration)
As needed
Spiral chocolate (→ p.118)
As needed
Gold leaf
As needed
Instructions
1
Make the sponge cake
After preparing the cocoa-flavored sponge cake (→ p.55, step 1), cut it into 2 slices 1 cm thick. Cut one slice into a 6 cm × 20 cm rectangle (for the base), and cut the other into a 5 cm × 20 cm rectangle (for the filling layer).
2
Make the raspberry jelly
Make the raspberry jelly (→ p.88–89, steps 3–6).
3
Melt the chocolate
Melt the chocolate over a double boiler (→ p.185, step 2). Pour the water and granulated sugar into a saucepan and bring to a boil to make a syrup.
4
Combine the eggs with the syrup
Whisk the egg yolks and whole egg together in a bowl. Then, while whisking constantly, gradually pour in the hot syrup.
5
Heat to 80°C
Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches 80°C (it will look thickened).
6
Whip until cooled
Once warm, transfer to a bowl and whip with a hand mixer on high speed until cooled (it will become thick and heavy).
7
Whip the heavy cream
Whip the well-chilled heavy cream directly (without an ice bath) until it reaches medium-stiff peaks (→ p.182).
8
Combine the chocolate with the cream
Pour one-third of the whipped cream into the melted chocolate and stir evenly until glossy.
9
Add the pâte à bombe
Pour it in all at once and mix the entire batch until evenly combined.
10
Add the remaining cream
Add the remaining whipped cream and fold gently from the bottom of the bowl until evenly incorporated.
11
Fill the mold halfway with mousse
Pour the chocolate mousse into the mold until it reaches halfway up the sides, then use the back of a spoon to spread the mousse up along the sides of the mold.
12
Top up the mousse
Use additional mousse to top it up to halfway up the mold. As in step 11, spread the mousse up along the sides of the mold.
13
Add the filling-layer cake
Place the filling-layer sponge cake on top and press down gently to level.
14
Brush with syrup
Brush with the raspberry-flavored syrup.
15
Add mousse to cover the cake
Add more mousse and use the back of a spoon to spread it up along the sides of the mold. The amount of mousse added only needs to be enough to cover the sponge cake.
16
Add the raspberry jelly
Pipe the raspberry jelly down the center of the mold in a long strip.
17
Cover with mousse
Fill the mold with the remaining mousse and use the back of a spoon to completely cover the raspberry jelly.
18
Add the base cake
Brush the bottom sponge cake with a layer of raspberry-flavored syrup, then place it upside-down into the mold and press gently to level.
19
Chill until set
Use a spatula to scrape away any mousse that has seeped over the edges of the mold. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 2–3 hours until firm.
20
Make the chocolate mirror glaze
Make the chocolate mirror glaze (→ p.123).
21
Prepare to unmold
Once set, place a piece of cardboard the same size as the mold on top. Place a baking sheet upside-down, then flip the mold over so the cardboard is on the bottom and set it on the baking sheet.
22
Unmold
Press a hot towel against the outside of the mold to melt the surface of the mousse slightly, then unmold together with the plastic sheet. Return to the freezer with the baking sheet until firm again.
23
Remove the plastic sheet
Once firm, peel off the plastic sheet.
24
Prepare a glazing stand
Take another baking sheet and place 2 cups upside-down side by side to act as a stand. Slide a palette knife under the cake and, together with the cardboard, place the cake on the stand.
25
Pour over the chocolate mirror glaze
Pour the chocolate mirror glaze over the cake in one continuous motion from one end to the other.
26
Smooth the coating
Use a palette knife to scoop up any glaze that drips onto the baking sheet and spread it over any areas that weren't coated.
27
Trim the shape
Use a palette knife to trim off any drips of chocolate mirror glaze and neaten the shape.
28
Trim the ends
Slide a palette knife under the cake and transfer it, together with the cardboard, to a cutting board. Use a warmed knife to cut off both ends.
29
Decorate to finish
Place the spiral chocolate on top, arrange raspberries and gold leaf for decoration, and the cake is complete.
