Thomas Schnetzler

Serving size: Serves 2
Cuisine type: Modern Australian
Cooking time: Less than 60 minutes
Course: Dessert
Favourite flavours: Cakes/baking

Valentine's chocolate cake just for two

INGREDIENTS

cake
50g Lindt Excellence 70% Cocoa
2 egg yolks
15g (almost 1 tablespoon) caster sugar
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
2 egg whites
2 Lindor balls Stracciatella
20ml Grand Marnier

jelly
50ml red wine (a pinot or similar)
1 leaf gelatine, gold grade
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ cup mixed berries

glaze
70g Lindt Excellence 70% Cocoa
70ml cream, 35% fat
10g unsalted butter

gold leaf, optional

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C (fan forced).

Butter two heart shaped baking moulds and dust with a little extra cocoa powder.

Place Lindor balls in the freezer (this will make sure that the chocolate pieces remain intact while baking)

Break up the block of chocolate and place in a bowl, place over a saucepan of barely simmering water and gently melt, stirring occasionally. Alternatively, gently melt chocolate in a microwave.

In a separate bowl whisk the egg yolks and half the caster sugar until pale and thick. Stir in the sifted cocoa powder and melted chocolate.

Whisk egg whites until soft peaks form and rain in the remaining sugar. Continue to whisk until firm peaks form.

Gently fold combined egg whites and sugar under the chocolate mixture. Cut chilled Lindor balls into chucks and fold in.

Pour batter into prepared moulds and bake for about 15 minutes. The cake is cooked when the surface is slightly dry but the centre remains soft. Set aside to cool but remove from the tin while still slightly warm.

To make the Jelly; Soak the leaf gelatine in some ice cold water for 10 minutes. Place the red wine into a small saucepan and bring to just below boiling point. Remove from heat and add sugar.

Remove gelatine from water and squeeze out excess liquid, add to wine and stir until dissolved. Check sweetness and add more sugar if required. Add berries to the jelly mixture.

Spoon mixture into smaller heart shaped moulds or set jelly in a small plastic container.
Place jelly in the fridge to fully set, you can speed it up by placing it in the freezer.

To make the glaze, gently bring the cream to the boil and add chopped chocolate. Stir until mixture is smooth and glossy. Add unsalted butter and mix until smooth. Set aside to cool.

To assemble, drizzle one heart shaped cake with little Grand Marnier, top cake with the red wine and berry jelly and place second cake smooth side up on top. Once again drizzle with Grand Marnier. Pour over the chocolate glaze and decorate with gold leaf.

Serve on a large platter with two spoons and extra Lindor balls if desired.