Chocolate Indulgence Cake

As I mentioned earlier this month, I’ve been testing out several recipes from an old cookbook that I found, The Irish Isle, New Irish Cuisine / Traditional Irish Music, and I’ve been happily surprised with the recipes that I’ve tried thus far.

The Tomato and Potato Soup with Parsley Pistou was terrific with my pint of Guinness, and the Chicken & Mushrooms in Puff Pastry with Tomato-Tarragon Sauce left me wanting more – even though I could barely move after eating those belly-bombers!

So when I went looking for a new dessert to make for Easter, I couldn’t resist trying out the Chocolate Indulgence Cake, from The Shelbourne, right in the center of Dublin. With a chocolate mousse topping and a brownie crust, how could I go wrong? The recipe sounded so delicious that I wanted to pull a Cookie Monster and just eat the page right out of the book!

Even with all of the work involved, I can honestly say that this Chocolate Indulgence Cake is well worth every headache! And believe me, I had many – from seized chocolate, to floppy meringue, to children biting at my ankles – I did it all…and enjoyed every piggly-bite afterwards!

CHOCOLATE INDULGENCE CAKE
Makes one 10-inch cake.

Brownie Crust Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
• 1 cup ground almonds
• 1/3 cup pecan pieces

Brownie Crust Directions:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degree.

Step 2: Butter and flour a 10-inch springform pan.

Step 3: In a large bowl, beat the butter with the sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time until well-blended.

Step 4: Stir the ground almonds and pecan pieces.

Step 5: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until set. The crust should be soft but not liquid. Let cool.

Chocolate Mousse Ingredients:

• 6 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 3 egg whites
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 cups heavy (whipping) cream

Chocolate Mousse Directions:

Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale.

Step 2: In a double-boiler over barely simmering water, melt the chocolate. Remove form heat and let cool slightly. Slowly whisk the chocolate into the egg-yolk mixture.

Step 3: In a small bowl, beat the egg whites and granulated sugar until stiff peaks form. In a medium bowl, beat the cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites and whipped cream into the chocolate mixture.

Step 4: Top the brownie bottom with the mousse and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until ready to serve. Remove the ring, slice and serve.

Thanks for reading,

Denine

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